I Walk the Line
by donna79
Summary: People come and go, that doesn't mean that you're heart doesn't still yearn for them. Set ten years after Sacrifice. Complete
1. Without You

**Story Title: I Walk the Line**

**Summary: It takes courage to love someone with all of your heart. Set ten years after Sacrifice.**

**AN: I know that I have walked away from all of my other stories except for the ones concerning Twilight. I am going to make up for that now. This has been a long time coming. I had the first chapter of this story typed up and then my computer died on me so now I had to write it again. I promise that I will not walk away from this without warning you first. As usual, let me know what you think.**

Things had been strained in the Jacob's household for almost a month. Mayer had refused to go to the hospital for the Scarlotte fever that had taken over his body. Everyone was on edge wondering if that day would be his last. Sarah had come to stay with her mother so that she could help her take care of her father. Jack had never been left alone with their girls for longer than a few hours, so he desperately wanted her to come home. David came over once a day to see if there was anything that they needed. Les came home from college on the weekends to stay with his parents so that his brother and sister could have a break.

Esther checked on Mayer early one morning before she started her day. She noticed that his chest wasn't rising like it should as soon as she walked into the room. She crossed the room saying a silent prayer that he was just having trouble breathing. His lung partially collapsing is what had started all of his problems. He hadn't been breathing well since.

She stood over him, holding her breath. She placed a hand on his chest to feel that it wasn't moving at all. She bit back a sob as she put two fingers to the side of his neck.

"Sarah?" she called.

"Yes Momma?"

"Go and get your brother and Jack. Do it quickly before they leave for work."

"Is he gone?" Sarah asked from the doorway.

"Yes."

The sound of the door shutting a minute later was the only sound in the apartment. Esther sat on the edge of the bed taking in Mayer's features. He looked peaceful, almost like he was sleeping. She brushed her fingers over his forehead sadly as tears filled her eyes. She had been preparing for this for three weeks and yet she couldn't process it.

The front door opening five minutes later went unregistered as she cried silently. David came to stand at the door, watching her with sad eyes. He stepped away deciding that she would want to be left alone. He would start getting in touch with family members while he waited for Sarah and Jack to get there.

Sarah came in with Jack a few minutes later while he was writing a letter to Les. He would want to be there.

"Where are Anna and Susan?"

"We left them with a neighbor. What are you doing?"

"Writing a letter to Les, I need to take it to the Western Union. That would be the fastest way to make sure that he gets it."

"You're right." Jack said with a nod.

"I've got letters for Aunt June and Uncle Eli to send out too. I should be back in an hour."

"We'll handle mom." Sarah said as he pulled on his jacket.

"Does Piper know?" Jack asked.

David looked at Sarah with unsure eyes. Sarah shook her head as her features were etched with remorse.

"She's probably already on her way to school. It may be a little too late for her to find someone to fill in. But I'll try to track her down." David said as he walked towards the door.

The apartment was filled with silence once again as Sarah looked around the front room. She had spent her entire life there. She could remember her father reading aloud from the Koran after dinner every night until the day he got sick. There was a burn mark on the couch from where the wind from the open window had blown a cigarette out of Jack's fingers. Mayer had been so mad after that had happened. She could remember Mayer lecturing Jack about smoking so close to the couch.

The door opened again and they both looked up to see Piper setting her umbrella against the wall then take off her jacket.

"Where's Momma?" she asked.

"In Dad's room." Sarah said quietly.

"Has anyone told Les?"

"David is taking care of it." Jack said as she sat next to him at the table.

"Were you able to find someone to teach your class today?"

"The principal is going to do it."

Piper was a member of the family in the same way that Jack was. Neither had their parents to raise them so Mayer and Esther had adopted Piper and treated Jack like a son before Sarah married him. All of the newsies had become like family to the Jacobs.

"The Newsies need to know." Piper said.

"I was just thinking about that." Jack said with a sigh.

"I can tell Jason, and he can tell everybody else."

Jack nodded his approval and Piper walked to the door. David came in as she was pulling on her jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"To see Jason, he can tell the rest of the Newsies."

"That's a good idea." he said with a nod.

Piper was on the street walking towards Brooklyn a few minutes later. The light rain that had started to fall on her way to the Jacob's had turned into a storm. She opened her umbrella and walked as fast as she could towards the bridge.

"Going somewhere?" Someone asked from a car that had pulled up alongside her.

She smiled as she looked into the car. Mush smiled back as she climbed in.

"I'm going to see Jase." she said as she shut the door.

"I'm headed that way. Why aren't you at school?"

"I took a personal day."

"What's going on?" he asked as he turned onto the bridge.

"Mayer died in the middle of the night last night."

"I'll go by and see them after I get off work tonight."

She nodded as she watched the scenery pass by. Her days of being scared of the bridge had passed years ago. She crossed the bridge on a weekly basis and had never once had trouble crossing it.

He pulled up to Skittery's apartment building and Piper hugged him before opening her door.

"Thanks." she said with a smile.

"Don't mention it." he said with a smile of his own.

He waited until she had gone inside before pulling away. She was standing outside Skittery and Natalie's apartment less than thirty seconds later. She knocked on the door lightly knowing that Skittery was more than likely sleeping. There was movement on the other side of the door a minute later.

Jason answered the door glaring at her through bleary eyes.

"Don't give me that look. I came over for a reason." she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What?" he asked, mimicking her stance.

"Mayer died last night. I don't know where all of the newsies are, you do. Mush already knows."

"You told Mush before you told me?"

"He gave me a ride over here."

"I'll let everybody know." he said as he scratched his head.

"You can get some sleep first. I'll tell Jake and John. John can tell Ethan."

"All I need to do is tell Spot. He can tell everybody else. I'll come with you."

"Where's Nat?"

"She's still asleep." he said as he let her in.

He went back to the bedroom while Piper sat on the couch. Jason and Natalie had recently gotten married after dating for ten years. He was as stubborn as ever and Natalie was the only person besides Piper who could put him in his place. Their relationship was the only stable thing he had in his life other than his relationship with Piper. He was scared of having children because his dad had done such a terrible job of raising him and his sister. He didn't want to be the kind of father that beat or ignored his children the way his father had with them.

Skittery came out of the room fully clothed and he had wet and combed his hair. He held the door downstairs open while Piper opened her umbrella. He put her arm in the crook of his as they walked back towards Manhattan. They talked during the forty minute walk about what had been going on in their lives that the other had missed out on.

They stopped at Tibby's first, knowing that John would more than likely be working. Sure enough, they saw him walking through the aisles with a carafe of coffee. Skittery opened the door for her and she set her umbrella in the barrel by the door. They sat themselves a few tables from where John was taking someone's order.

"Have you eaten?"

"If I don't I can't keep up with the kids in my class."

"I'm starving." Skittery said as he got John's attention.

John smiled as he made his way over to them.

"Well look what the rain blew in." he teased as he nudged Skittery's shoulder.

"Hey Dutch." Skittery said with a smile.

"What'll you have?"

"Pancakes and lots of them."

"What about you Pippa?"

"Coffee."

"I'll be right back." Dutchy said before walking away.

"Hey Dutch?" Skittery said getting his attention.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have a few minutes?"

"We're busy right now. If you two can wait an hour, the rush should be over."

"That's fine." Skittery said with a nod.

They were quiet while they waited for his food and her coffee. Dutchy took in their solemn appearance knowing instantly that someone was wrong.

"I know something happened. Is it Crutchy?"

"He's fine, the last I heard he was a chimney sweeper out in the Bronx."

"Is it Blink?"

"You would have heard before us." Piper said with a shake of her head.

"Tib, I need to my break." he called.

Tibby nodded his approval and Dutchy pulled a chair to sit in between them.

"What's going on?"

"Before we tell you, you need to tell Ethan." Skittery warned.

"Okay." he said with a nod.

"Mayer died last night."

"Man." Dutchy said underneath his breath.

Mayer and Esther had been the ones to give Ethan the money to go to college so that he could become a teacher. He had helped Piper get her job at the school that she had gone to as a child. Ethan was still paying them back the money that they had given them. Mayer had insisted that he didn't want it but Specs wouldn't hear it.

"I need to go back to the Jacob's."

"I'll go by later." Skittery said.

"Ethan and I will come by after work."

"Wait, has anybody told Les?"

"David sent him a telegram this morning. I'll see you later." she said hugging them both.

David's girlfriend Emmaleigh opened the door when Piper got to the Jacob's apartment. Blink and Spot sat with Jack on the fire escape while David stood on the landing above them. Emmaleigh put a hand on Piper's shoulder squeezing it lightly. Piper gave her a small smile before noticing that Esther had come out of the room. She sat by herself on the couch with her hands folded together in her lap.

Piper made her way over to Esther and sat down next to her. Esther looked up at her, giving her a feeble smile.

"Hi Momma."

"Hi Baby." she said quietly.

Piper draped an arm over her shoulders before placing her head on Esther's shoulder.

"Were you able to find your brother?"

"Yes ma'am. Michael, John, and Ethan will be here later."

"They've always been such sweet boys." she said with a smile.

Someone knocked on the door and Sarah went to answer it. It was someone from the funeral home. They were there to collect Mayer's body. Piper tapped on the window getting David's attention. He opened it and she told him what was going on. He wanted to be the one to handle the funeral arrangements.

Jack, Spot, and Blink followed David through the window. Blink pulled Piper in for a hug, picking her up off the ground. She hadn't seen him in almost a year. He pulled her away so that he could look at her with a smile.

"I've missed you." she said with a smile.

"I've missed you too kid."

"So how are things at the circus?"

"Great. I've met someone."

"It's not the bearded lady is it?" she teased.

"That's what I asked him." Jack said.

"No, it's not the bearded lady. She can swallow fire."

"Very impressive, that I have to see."

"You'd like her."

"I'm sure I would."

He put her down as someone else knocked on the door. Piper answered it and let Mush and Crutchy in. Crutchy had lived with them for a few years after Klopman died. The new boarding house director decided that Crutchy was a liability and hadn't let him come back. A lot of the newsies had left because of it. Not long after that the boarding house had been shut down.

Something didn't feel right. She looked around in confusion before realizing what it was. Les still hadn't come home. He should have already gotten the telegram that David had sent four hours ago. He was only two hours away. What if he wasn't able to get away from school to come to Mayer's funeral? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he missed it. She would give him until the morning before going up there herself.

"Are you alright?" Sarah asked.

"I'm just worried. What if Les can't make it to Dad's funeral?"

"If I know my brother he will stop at nothing to be here. You shouldn't worry so much." she said putting a hand on her shoulder.

Crutchy came to stand next to her and nudged her with his crutch.

"Cheer up; you're acting as if someone died." he said with a teasing smile.

"Thank you." she said with a smile.

"There it is. Everything is going to be fine." he said reassuringly.

"I know. I just wish that Les were here."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"Three months ago at Christmas."

"He's been coming in every weekend for the past month and you haven't seen him?" Mush asked.

"I haven't had time. I've been helping Jason at the bar since Blink decided to leave town last year."

"He called two hours ago. I have to pick him up from the station in half an hour. Why don't you go instead?" David said joining the conversation.

Piper quickly said goodbye to everyone before taking the stairs two at a time only to run into Spot outside.

"Where's the fire?" he asked as he gripped her shoulders to keep her from falling.

"I have to make it across town to the train station in twenty minutes. Les is coming home."

"Go." he said letting her go.

She hailed a taxi and quickly told the cabbie where she wanted to go. Fifteen minutes later she stepped out onto the curb before paying the cabbie. She looked at the arrival board and found where Les was coming in. She made it to the depot just as the train was pulling in. Les was one of the first people off. She called his name and he looked up in surprise.

He walked towards her as he shouldered his bag. She pushed through the crowd towards him. He dropped his bag at his feet as he pulled her to him.

"Did he act like something was wrong?"

"Your mom said that he didn't."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine now. Are you okay?"

"I'm getting better. Come on." he said draping an arm over her shoulders.

They held hands in the cab. Their friendship had matured from the teasing and temper tantrums of their childhood. They were close, so close that it was an ongoing joke that they would eventually get married. While Les saw her in that way, she didn't know that he did. The last time he had tried to express his feelings for her hadn't gone very well. He was older and more mature than the pushy nine year old from ten years ago.

He let her get out first then held the door to the apartment building open for her. When they walked into the apartment Esther pulled Les to her before he could sit his bag down. His eyes met hers over his mother's shoulder and she gave him an encouraging smile. He gave her one back before sighing. His mother wept into his chest and he rubbed her back to soothe her.

"How's he doing?" Natalie asked when she came to stand next to Piper.

"Not good. He's holding it together."

"He's always been good at that. You shouldn't worry about him so much."

"I just wish that he was going to school closer. I never get to see him anymore."

"He's only got two more years of school left. I'm sure he'll come home after college."

Piper nodded before Skittery came to stand in between them. He draped an arm over each of their shoulders before pulling them to him. Piper draped an arm over his shoulders while Natalie wrapped an arm around his waist.

"I was reading in the paper this morning about a bum who got hit by a car the other day."

"What does that have to do with what's going on right now?" Piper asked in confusion.

"They had a picture of him. I wasn't going to tell you because you hardly knew him." he said shaking his head sadly.

"Who was it?" Natalie asked.

"It was our dad."

"Is he alright?" Piper asked.

"He died. I saved the paper so that you could read it." he said reaching into his shirt pocket.

She took the paper from him and slipped it into the pocket of her dress. She hadn't heard anything about their father in five years. Skittery had pointed out where they had lived with him when she was younger and she had gone by only to find that their father had moved. She was only nine when they left him, she didn't remember anything about him. Skittery had given her a locket for her eighteenth birthday and put a picture of their mother that he had kept in his pocket watch in it. She thought that he would never get rid of it.

"We should go. You need to be at work in an hour." Natalie said getting his attention.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked looking down at Piper.

She nodded with a smile before hugging them both goodbye. Skittery went to say goodbye to Jack and David while Natalie went to get their jackets. Piper made her way to the door to grab her jacket when someone stopped her.

"Where are you going?" Les asked.

"Home, I have to work tomorrow."

"Why not stay here?"

"It would be too cramped with all of us here."

"Let me walk you home. It's too dark for you to be walking alone." he said putting his own jacket on.

Piper stood by the door while Les went to tell David that they were leaving.

"You should stay with her."

"I can't stay here?"

"Like she said, it's going to be too cramped. Sarah, Jack and the girls are in our old room and I'm sleeping on the couch. Would you want to sleep on the floor?"

"I guess that I could sleep on her couch." he said grabbing his bag from the floor.

The five minute walk to her apartment was quiet until they got to her apartment.

"Have you eaten?" she asked.

"I ate on the train."

"Oh. I haven't eaten since this morning. I didn't realize how hungry I was until just now."

"I can make you something." he said walking into the kitchen.

"You don't have to." she said walking in after him.

"I always cook for you." he said opening and closing cabinets.

"There's some chicken and lettuce in the refrigerator. There might be some bread in the bread box."

"A chicken sandwich it is."

He pulled out what he needed and she sat at the table. She watched him as he put the sandwich together then looked for a plate. He set the food in front of her before straddling the chair across from her. He grabbed an apple from the bowl in the center of the table then polished it on his shirt before taking a bite. The silence from earlier was back and it covered them like a warm blanket. They had always been comfortable with long periods of silence. Just knowing that the other was there was enough.

Once she was done eating Piper got Les some blankets and a pillow from her closet and made the couch up for him. She mentioned that she was going to bed and he put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Thank you for letting me stay here."

"I couldn't let you sleep on the floor in that cramped apartment."

"I could have stayed with your brother and Natalie."

"I don't mind." she said with a small smile.

He let go and watched her walk the short distance to her room. She shut the door quietly before he lay down on the couch. He stared up at the ceiling as he heard her walking around in her room.

The door creaked open and he sat up to look over the back of the couch a little while later.

"I can't sleep." she said quietly.

He pulled back the covers before throwing his legs over the side of the couch. He grabbed his pillow before crossing the room to hers. His arm brushed hers as he passed her. They hadn't done this in a while. Her restlessness hadn't started until after Sarah and David left. He would climb into bed with her and hold her until she fell asleep. She had never told him what caused her to stay up and he would never ask. He would be there for her because she needed him.

She lay on her side next to him a few seconds later. He turned on his side to face her, taking in her now relaxed features. He brushed his fingers over her forehead to push her hair back and she leaned into the touch.

"Good night." she said as she closed her eyes.

"Good night." he said with a sigh.

"If you didn't want to sleep in here you should have said so." she said in aggravation.

"It's nothing. Don't worry." he said kissing her forehead.

Her even breathing could be heard a few minutes later. He rolled over on his back with his hands behind his head and commenced staring at the ceiling. He needed to tell her how he felt. Unless she was leading him on she felt the same way he did. She had never been the type of person to do that so he made up his mind to tell her before he left.

On Friday afternoon everyone gathered at Esther's apartment. You couldn't move one step without bumping into someone. Esther, Sarah, and Piper sat on the couch with the girls while David, Jack, and Les stood behind the couch surrounding them. Anna played quietly in Sarah's lap while Susan slept in Piper's arms. One of her little hands was fisted in Piper's hair when Esther stood from the couch. She said that she had something for the kids and told David to take her seat.

"You can have my seat." Piper said as she looked up at Les.

She stood when he nodded his head. She was careful not to wake the baby as she made her way back to the bedroom to lay her down. Esther could be heard in the living room saying that Mayer had set money aside for each of the kids. She came to stand at the door as Esther handed each of the Jacob children an envelope.

"Where is Piper?" Esther asked looking around the room.

"I'm here." she called.

"Come here." Esther said with a smile.

"While you are making your way over I'll give Jack his. Now don't give me that look young man, he would have given money to Emmaleigh as well if she and David had been married." she said admonishing Jack when he pushed the envelope back into her hand.

"I'm not married to either of your boys." Piper said.

"But you are like one of our own. Do I have to hold this out to you all night young lady?" she said waving an envelope with Piper's name written on it.

Piper shook her head free of its daze before reaching for the envelope. Sarah took hold of her free hand and squeezed it tightly.

The apartment was empty of people once Natalie and Emmaleigh cleaned up after dinner. Jack and Sarah offered to walk Piper home and she pulled on her jacket while Jack talked to Esther and David. Les stood off to the side before opening the door for her. They stood in the hall waiting for Sarah and Jack.

"Can I come by tomorrow?" he asked.

"Sure." she said with a nod.

"I need to talk to you about something."

"What?"

"I'd rather not talk about it right now. I'll see you tomorrow." he said before kissing her cheek.

He opened the door and almost ran into Sarah and Jack. They each carried a sleeping child down the stairs and the walk to Piper's was quiet. She hugged them both before going up to her apartment. She immediately wished that she had asked Les to come home with her. The apartment was too quiet and too big for one person. Up until a few months ago she had never lived on her own. Even in college she had chosen to live on campus so that she would always have a roommate. When someone else was there things were easier to handle.


	2. New Beginings

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.**

Les had tried to see Piper all weekend. Every time he would put his shoes on his mother would catch him at the door and ask him if he was going somewhere. He didn't have the heart to leave her alone knowing how lonely she was. Leaving on Sunday would be hard enough. On Sunday morning after Mass he talked David into staying with Esther long enough for him to talk to Piper. He knew exactly where she would be.

He opened the door at Tibby's to find her sitting with Dutchy and Specs in the corner. He made his way across the restaurant stopping to talk to people that he knew. He stood at Dutchy's side a few minutes after he came in. Dutchy looked up with a smile before nudging Specs with his elbow. The two left and Les took Specs' seat.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at your mom's? I thought that she wanted to have dinner with you before you left."

"I still plan on having dinner with her, but I needed to talk to you about something."

"Is it the something that you wanted to talk to me about yesterday?"

"I couldn't get away from my mom, she needed me."

"I understand." she said with a nod.

"Can we go someplace private?"

"It's that important?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows.

He nodded as she took her money pouch out of her purse. Dutchy shook his head before balling up her ticket. She smiled her gratitude as Les stood. He took her hand and led her through the tables. Outside it had started to rain so he opened his umbrella before she placed her hand in the crook of his arm.

"So what is going on? Are you not doing well in school?"

"School is fine." he said with a shake of his head.

"Is there a girl?" she teased.

"You could say that." he said with a nervous laugh.

"Then why didn't you bring her home with you?"

"Because she's already here."

"I'm confused." Piper said as her eyebrows knitted together.

"It's you." he said quietly.

"Me?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Don't act so surprised."

"I don't understand. How long have you felt this way?"

"For a while." he said nonchalantly.

"Then why are you just now saying something?"

"You have always seen me as your best friend, the little brother that you picked on and teased, and the person you leaned on when Skittery couldn't be there."

"You're right. You are all of those things."

"I want to be something more."

"I don't know if I can let you be more than that." she said quietly.

"Can you try? For me?" he pleaded.

"I have to think about it."

"That's all I am asking for."

They walked back to her apartment in silence. He was reluctant to hug her once she had opened the door. He didn't want to overstep his boundaries. She rolled her eyes before reaching up to her wrap her arms around his neck. Her chin rested on his shoulder and the smell of his aftershave enveloped her. He wrapped his arms around her waist loosely before she sighed.

"I'll see you later." she whispered in his ear.

"See you later." he said before pulling away.

Saying goodbye had never been easy for them, this time wasn't any different. Piper watched him until he walked out the door at the bottom of the stairs. She hadn't expected him to say what he had. She didn't know if she would have been able to hold it in for as long as he had. Could she really see herself being with him? No one understood her as well as Les did. No one made her laugh the way Les did either. She felt most comfortable when he was close to her. She gasped as she came to the realization that she had answered her own question. Yes, she could see herself being with him. She just hoped that she could catch him before he left.

XXXX

Sarah stood outside the bar watching the three people inside. Natalie was setting a table while Skittery wiped down the bar. Mush sat at the bar, reading a letter. Sarah opened the door with determination. The three friends looked up at the same time in confusion.

"I didn't expect to see you here today." Natalie said as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"I need to talk to Mush." Sarah said politely.

"Sure." Mush said with a nod.

"Jason, could we use your office?"

"That's fine." Skittery said with a nod.

Sarah waited until they were both seated until she started to speak.

"I've decided what I want to do with the money my father left me."

"What do I have to do with that?"

"I want to reopen the boarding house. I would need someone to run it."

"Sarah, I already have a job." Mush said with a shake of his head.

"Would you be able to recommend someone?"

"The only person I can think of would be Racetrack and asking him is out of the question."

Racetrack had gone back to Italy not long after the strike was over. His family had fallen on hard times and he felt that it would be best if he went back to help. He wrote Jack twice a month, but he had no plans to come back to America.

"Could you teach me what to do so that I could do it?"

"A woman running a boarding house is a bad idea. Hasn't Jack told of all the problems we caused for Klopman?"

"He has, but I think that I can handle it."

"Tell you what; I'll try to find someone who can help you. If I can't, I'll consider doing it. My job at the hotel barely keeps me in my apartment most months."

"Thank you so much." she said hugging him tightly.

"You're welcome." he said patting her back gently.

"I really appreciate you doing this."

"I haven't said yes yet. Does Jack know that you're here?"

"He's the one who suggested that I ask you." Sarah said as she pulled away.

They were back downstairs as Natalie was bringing dinner out of the kitchen.

"Would you like to stay?"

"No thank you. My mother has dinner waiting for me at her apartment. I'll see the three of you later."

She stepped out onto the street a few seconds later. The sun was shining down on her and she turned her face towards the sky with a smile. The temperature had warmed since she had gone inside. She used to love going to the park on days like this. She would take the girls before heading home from her mothers. The fresh air would do them good since they had been stuck inside the past few days.

XXXX

David sat on the bed that he had spent his childhood sharing with Les while Les packed his bag. He had yet to say anything to David about the errand that he'd had to run after Mass that morning. Whatever had happened, didn't weigh well on Les. He looked worried and tense as he placed the last of his clothes in bag.

"Les, is something bothering you?"

"No." Les said not looking up from what he was doing.

"Are you sure? You can tell me."

"You're not dad David, so don't act like him." Les said with a sigh.

"I didn't realize that I was acting like dad, I was just trying to understand what is wrong with you."

"Nothing is bothering me." Les said as he picked up his bag.

David stood with a sigh when he heard the bag drop to the floor by the front door.

"Boys, dinner is ready." Esther called from the kitchen.

"Shouldn't we wait for Sarah and Jack Momma?" David asked.

"I just saw them on the street. They'll be up in a minute."

David came into the front room as the front door opened. He could see Les in the kitchen washing his hands while Sarah helped their mother get everything on the table. Anna stood next to Les holding her arms up so that he would pick her up. He picked her up once he had dried his hands and carried her to her high chair at the table.

Everyone was quiet while Susan quietly said grace. Once they started eating conversation flowed from one topic to the next. Les was the first one done as usual and he started running water in the basin so that he, David, and Jack could wash dishes once everyone was done. David came in a few minutes later and pushed him towards the door.

"Go spend time with Mom, Jack and I can handle this."

"Are you sure?"

"You've only got a little while before you need to leave. Go." David said nudging him.

Les pulled his pocket watch out of his shirt pocket to check the time and realized that he had only ten minutes before he needed to leave. He made his way around the room to say goodbye to everyone when David stopped him from going out the door.

"It will only take a minute and then you can go." David said as he walked towards Emmaleigh.

He stopped in front of her before getting down on one knee. He took one of Emily's hands in his as he looked up at her.

"You have been very patient with me in the three years that we have been together. Even my own mother has asked when we were going to get married and yet you haven't mentioned it once."

"I knew that you would ask me eventually if I was patient." Emmaleigh said giving him a teasing smile.

"Emmaleigh Marie Curry, will you marry me?"

"Yes." she said quietly as she nodded her head.

He pulled a small box out of his pants pocket then opened it before holding it up for everyone to see. Small diamonds were clustered together to form one that was about the size of a dime. He pulled it out of the box to slip it on her finger as Esther and Sarah hovered over Emmaleigh. David's eyes met Les' as he stood. Les nodded his congratulations before opening the door.

Esther, Sarah, and Emmaleigh could be heard talking at once as he shut the door. He was happy for David and Emmaleigh. He had a feeling last summer when their grandmother passed that David would ask their mother for her engagement ring. He had been right.

Outside the sun was making its slow decent and most of the buildings were already cast in shadows. He hailed a cab and one stopped in front of him a few seconds later. He gave the cabbie the address of the train station before falling back against the seat.

He wished that he had tried harder to make Piper see that his feelings for her were real. He would come back the next weekend and he wouldn't leave until she believed him. The cabbie announcing that they were at the station pulled him out his reverie.

He paid the cabbie before gathering his things from the trunk. Someone called his name from behind him and he turned to see Piper standing a few feet away. She walked towards him, dodging a mother and child who refused to stop to let her pass. She took one of his hands in hers before meeting his gaze.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Can you imagine your life without me in it?"

"No." he said with a sigh.

"That's what I thought." she said before leaning in.

Her lips met his in a gentle kiss. Her hands rested on his shoulders while his gripped her arms gently. She pulled away to look at him with worried eyes. He smiled down at her before brushing his fingers down her cheek. She smiled before leaning into the touch.

"I'll be back next weekend, and you had better give me a better kiss than that." he said huskily.

"It wouldn't have been ladylike for me to kiss you the way that I wanted to on a street crowded with people."

"Then the next time we'll be alone."

She nodded as she laughed lightly. He pulled her to him again before hugging her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck as someone announced his train from inside the station.

"You had better go." she whispered in his ear.

He kissed her cheek tenderly before pulling away from her.

"Think of me while I'm gone?" he asked as he picked up his bag.

"I do that already." she said with a smile.

He held onto her hand until they were so far away that he had to let go. She watched him tenderly until he passed through the doors. It hadn't taken her long to decide what she was going to do. She would have to be insane to leave him hanging. She should have realized how he felt about her sooner. Maybe if she had he wouldn't have gone to school three hours away.


	3. Changes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.**

Specs got the feeling that something wasn't right when Dutchy had gone to bed early the night before. He was still sleeping when Specs started to get ready for work that morning. He decided to let him sleep a little while longer.

When Dutchy still hadn't woken up half an hour later Specs knew that something was wrong. He put a hand on Dutchy's arm to shake him and his eyebrows knitted together in concern. Dutchy's skin was clammy and hot to the touch.

"Dutch, it's time to get up." he said shaking him gently.

"Five more minutes." he said into the pillow.

"I won't be here in five more minutes." he said brushing his fingers over Dutchy's forehead.

"Can you hand me my glasses?"

Specs reached behind him to the nightstand and put Dutchy's glasses on him for him.

"There you are. Morning." he said with a lazy smile.

"Morning." Specs said with a caring smile.

"Kiss?"

Specs pressed his lips to Dutchy's forehead and kept them there for a few seconds. When he pulled away he gave Dutchy a concerned look.

"I'm going to stop by Tibby's on my way to work and tell Tib that you won't be coming in. I want you to go to the doctor."

"You know that I don't like doctors." Dutchy said giving him a dark look.

"You are sick John. And I can't catch it. Please go see the doctor?" Specs asked giving him a pleading look.

"If I go to the doctor will you leave me alone about it?"

"Yes."

"Fine." Dutchy said rolling his eyes.

"I'll come home during lunch to check on you."

"Love you." he said tiredly.

"I love you too." he said with a tender smile.

Dutchy had fallen back to sleep before Specs could get his things together and head out the door a minute later. He pulled his coat around him to ward off the chill as he stepped out of the apartment building. He couldn't help but worry about Dutchy. Dutchy rarely ever got sick and Specs had never seen him like this. What could be wrong with him? Whatever it was, Specs hoped that it wasn't serious.

XXXX

Sarah stood in the middle of the room with a satisfied smile. It hadn't taken long to get the lodging house cleaned out and get a building permit. The bunks were made; all that was missing were children to sleep in them. Jack was hanging up the sign that she'd had made out front and soon the house would be filled with boys. She thought of all the stories that Jack and Piper had told her about life in a lodging house. Piper had been freer with giving her information but that was because Piper had no fear. Jack had wanted to protect her from all the things that had happened to him as a child when they had first gotten together. He was more forthcoming now, that was what mattered.

She heard Jack coming up the stairs so she opened the door for him. He stood beside her with an arm draped over her shoulders. She wrapped an arm around his waist before looking up at him. He smiled down at her before squeezing her gently.

"Is Mush here yet?" she asked.

"He was getting his bags out of his car while I hung up the sign."

"I know that you don't think that this is a good idea but I appreciate your support."

"Why would I stop you from doing something that makes you happy?"

"The idea of all of those boys sleeping on the street keeps me up at night. I can't imagine what that must have been like."

"That's because I won't tell you and I finally got Piper to be quiet." he said giving her a stern look.

She sighed with a nod. He didn't want her to worry about him, she understood that. But that didn't stop her from worrying about all the boys who were on the street now. Now they had a place to sleep and the promise of at least one meal a day. It was more than some people had.

Another set of footsteps could be heard on the stairs and Jack looked over his shoulder to see Mush coming up with an arm full of towels. Jack pulled Sarah out of the way so that Mush could get to the bathroom. She would be forever grateful to Mush for his help. He'd had his reservations just like Jack had, but in the end the idea of helping the community had won out and he had agreed to run the lodging house.

Mush came to stand with them a few seconds later and Sarah smiled appreciatively at him. He returned the smile shyly not able to meet her gaze. He hadn't changed much in the time that Sarah had known him. He could handle living on the streets; he could stick up for himself in a fight; he had been supporting himself since his parents had died of malaria when he was six. Yet he couldn't handle a girl showing him attention.

The three friends went back downstairs where dinner was cooking in the kitchen. Sarah left to pick up the girls from her mom's while Jack and Mush played cards to kill time until dinner was ready. Mush was silent as Jack dealt another hand.

"Do you think I made a mistake by telling Sarah that I would do this?" Mush asked.

"You have more of a reason than I do to make this place great again. I was looking for a reason to leave when they closed this place."

"You had been half way out the door for over a year. You didn't have a reason to stay. You stayed because you worried about the rest of us."

"I worried about you the most. You've had a harder life than I have. I didn't have any reason to worry did I?"

"You taught me to stick up for myself. I haven't forgotten."

"I know."

"When was the last time you heard from your dad?"

"At Christmas, he's in Buffalo." he said, his features turning serious.

Jack's dad had reached out to him when he was released from prison six years ago. It had taken some time but they finally had a stable relationship. James Sullivan understood his son's reasons for wanting a better life for himself. He kept to himself for the most part, only coming down for the holidays and the girl's birthdays. He wrote Jack a few times a year in between visits and Jack had finally stopped blaming him for all of his problems from when he was a child. James had tried to make a good life for Jack; he had just gone about it the wrong way.

Sarah came back with the girls once the hand they were playing was over. Jack cleaned off the table and set it while Mush watched over the girls in the front room. Their laughter floated back to the kitchen making Sarah smile. She called the three of them to come and eat while she put dinner on the table.

Dinner was filled with talk of what Sarah wanted for the lodging house and Mush promised to look into getting what was needed. Sarah was washing dishes when the front door opened. Someone was explaining that they didn't have money but that they really needed a place to stay. Mush explained that they could stay for the night but that if they wanted to keep a permanent residence at the house they would need to pay.

Sarah came in to see Mush lead the person up the stairs. Jack was helping the girls into their jackets as Sarah curiously watched the stairs.

"Are ready you to go?" Jack asked.

Sarah nodded as she reached for her jacket. She pulled it on and buttoned it quickly while Jack pulled her scarf from off the coat rack. He wrapped it around her neck before tucking it into the collar of her jacket.

"Thank you." she said with a grateful smile.

He kissed her forehead tenderly before opening the door. Sarah tucked a hand into the crook of his arm while Anna took her other hand. Susan walked on Jack's other side swinging their hands. The short walk was filled with silence because both of the girls were more than likely tired.

At home Sarah got the girls ready for bed while Jack started a fire in the front room of their apartment. Sarah came to sit next to him and turned her body to face him.

"Would Mush really turn that child who can't pay away?"

"No, he'll more than likely have her work at the house as payment."

"It was a girl?" Sarah asked in concern.

"Piper was the only girl to ever stay there. Mush wants to change that. She wouldn't be treated differently than the boys."

"How old do you think she was?"

"She looked like she could have been eight, maybe nine."

Sarah nodded as she picked up her yarn and needles from the table. She continued on the scarf she had been working on the night before. It was going to be a birthday present for David. She had noticed that he hadn't been wearing one the last few times that she had seen him and wanted to make sure that he didn't get sick.

Jack watched her from over the top of his book wishing that she didn't worry so much. She was like her dad in that way. Mayer had worried about everyone he knew more than one person should. He had neglected to realize that he was sick because he was worried about how Les was doing in school and if he was adjusting. Jack would have a talk with her about what was going on soon. She wouldn't come right out and tell him if he asked.

XXXX

David looked across the piece of land picturing the house that would be there in his head. He could see it so clearly like it was already there. The idea to buy the land had come to him in a dream and it was one dream that he was going to make a reality. He unlike Emmaleigh had never lived in a house, but he had always wanted to. Emmaleigh stood next to him taking in the land the same way he was.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"If this is what you want than it's what I want." she said looking up at him.

"It looks like it would be good place to start a family in."

"It's quiet, and there's a lot of land if we want to add on."

"It's perfect." he said with a smile.

"All we have to do is convince your mom."

Convincing his mom to live with them wasn't going to be easy. She was going to list every reason not to leave the city and he would have an answer for every reason. He didn't like the idea of her living alone even if Jack and Sarah were ten minutes away.

They got back into the car a few minutes later to drive over to his mothers. When they got there she was at the kitchen table mending the living room curtains. David sat next to her and put his hands on hers to make her stop.

"Momma, Emmaleigh and I want to talk to you." he said.

"About what?" Esther asked worriedly.

"We want you to live with us once we get married." Emmaleigh said gently.

"Absolutely not."

"Mom the crime in the building is getting worse. Mrs. Dorsett from next door was mugged three feet from the building."

"I know she was." Esther said quietly.

"Will you tell us why you don't want to leave?" Emmaleigh pleaded.

"I have lived in this apartment since before Les was born. If I leave all of my memories of Mayer will be gone."

"No they won't Momma. We won't let you forget Poppa." David said squeezing her hand.

"I'll be away from your sister and her family."

"You would still see them. We can have Sunday dinners at the house. We would never deprive you of seeing Anna and Susan." Emmaleigh said sitting on the other side of Esther.

"You wouldn't?" Esther asked looking between the two of them.

"No." David said giving her a sincere look.

"Alright, I'll come to live with you."

"It's going to be a little while anyways; we still have to have the house built." David said in reassurance.

"It's not very far from here either. It only took us fifteen minutes to get here."

Esther nodded with a small smile. The talk had gone easier than he thought it would. He had been ready to pull out every resource he had to get her to see things his way. He was glad that he hadn't had to.

XXXX

Les pulled his bag down from the overhead compartment as people made their way down the aisle. A man with a small child stopped to let him go in front of them and Les smiled in gratitude. He searched the crowded depot for any sign of Piper. He saw her walking towards him a few seconds later. He set his bag down by his feet before opening his arms for her. She stepped into the embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist before burying his face in her hair.

"I missed you." she whispered.

"You just saw me two weeks ago." he said with a laugh.

"I know, but that doesn't mean that I missed you any less." she said with a crooked smile.

He brushed his lips to hers before picking up his bag. They walked through the station hand in hand. Outside, they leaned against the wall as they waited in line for a taxi.

"How is school going?" she asked.

"Good. I got my history paper back yesterday. I got an A."

"Good for you." she said before kissing his cheek.

"I wanted to ask you if you would come up for Easter. You'll have the week off."

"I guess I could squeeze you in." she said in a teasing manner.

He squeezed her hand gently as a cab came to a stop in front of them. He opened the door for her and let her get in first. He gave the cabbie her address and she looked at him curiously.

"My family doesn't know that I'm here."

"So I have you to myself for the whole weekend? How did I get so lucky?" she asked.

He smiled down at her before draping an arm over her shoulders. She placed her head on his shoulder before closing her eyes. Their time together in the past month had been scarce. He had come home the first two weeks after his dad died but they hadn't really spent any time together. She was thankful that he was taking the initiative to make their relationship work. They only had a two more months before he would be home for the summer. If they could hold out until then everything would be fine.


	4. A Secret Relationship and Stolen Kisses

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. Although it would be nice to have Skittery around whenever I wanted him.**

Natalie sat with Piper on a bench outside the train depot waiting for Piper's train to be called. So far, Piper had been vague about her reason for leaving. She said that she was going to see a friend who needed help. Help with what Natalie had asked?

"They recently moved and need help settling in." Piper had answered.

Which was partially true, Les had recently moved into a new dorm room.

"Are they married?"

"No."

"Do they not have family that can help?"

"All of their family lives here in New York, and they have lives of their own." Piper said with a shake of her head.

"I know you're lying. You can tell me the truth, I won't tell anyone."

Piper's eyes shifted to look at the ground as she wrung her hands together. She should have known that Natalie would pick up on her lies. It had worked with Skittery because she had never kept anything from him before, so why would he doubt her now?

"Not even Skittery knows." Piper said quietly.

"You're keeping something from Jason? You aren't breaking any laws are you?" she questioned.

"No. I'm seeing someone. You know how he gets when boys come to call on me." Piper said shrugging her shoulders helplessly.

"I do know how he gets." Natalie said in understanding.

"It's Les."

"Oh, Piper. That's wonderful news." Natalie said with a smile.

"I'm glad you think so." she said chuckling nervously.

"Skittery isn't going to care. Les has changed so much in the past two years. He isn't the same person he was when he was a kid."

"Yeah, he's not as annoying." Piper said rolling her eyes.

"He hasn't been annoying since he was twelve years old. He just had a lot of growing up to do. He's a completely different person now and you have something to do with that." Natalie said putting a hand on Piper's arm.

Piper's train was called and she gathered her things before she stood. Natalie put a hand on her arm to stop her from walking away.

"I'm glad that the two of you are together. I've known for a while that the two of you would be together." Natalie said encouragingly.

Piper smiled before walking away. She felt better now that she had told someone. Natalie had told her what she needed to hear. She now had the courage to face her brother and tell him the truth when she came home.

XXXX

The fireplace in the front room of the lodging house was burning bright. She felt the warmth from it as soon as she closed the door. She heard noise in the kitchen and she made her way across the room once she had taken off her jacket. She pushed the door open just enough to see who was making all the noise. A small girl stood on a chair leaning over the stove to stir a pot. The apron she was wearing hung off of her and had come untied in the back.

The girl looked over her shoulder, giving Sarah a confused look. Sarah pushed open the door and stepped into the room. The little girl stepped off the chair and wiped her hands on the front of the apron. Sarah pulled out a chair and gestured for the girl to sit. She sat down with trepidation, not meeting Sarah's gaze.

"I have been wanting to meet you." Sarah said with a kind smile.

"You have?" the girl asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"I make a point to meet everyone who stays here. I'm Sarah."

"You're Mrs. Kelly?" The girl asked curiously.

"I am. What's your name?"

"Charlotte."

"It's nice to meet you Charlotte. How did you find us? Most of the boys have a story behind why they came here."

"I was walking by and I saw Mr. Meyers bringing stuff in. I came by every day for a week until I saw that you were open." Charlotte said with a shrug.

"Were you on the street for long?"

"A few months." she said looking down at her hands.

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't know. I came home from school one day last year and the apartment we lived in was empty. They were nice enough to leave my clothes, but they took everything else."

"They just left you?"

"They couldn't afford to take care of me anymore." she said sadly.

"Do you need money to stay here?"

"No ma'am. I have a job."

"You do? You can't be more than eight years old."

"I'm ten." she said as her face fell.

"I'm sorry. Where do you work?"

"At Newman's Shoe Factory."

"You don't go to school?"

"I spend most of my time working." Charlotte said with a shake of her head.

Mush walked in carrying a basket of bread. He sat the bread on the counter, than checked on the soup on the stove.

"I just checked on it."

"Thank you Charlotte." he said with a smile.

"You're welcome."

"Mush, can I talk to you in the other room?" Sarah asked standing from the table.

"Sure. Charlotte, can you put the bread in the pantry for me?"

"Yes Sir."

Sarah waited until the door swung closed before wrapping her arms around her waist.

"That poor little girl." she said quietly.

"She told you that her parents abandoned her?"

"I wish that there was something that I could do."

"Opening this place is enough. I won't turn her away." he promised.

"Does she sleep upstairs with the boys?"

"She's put up a make shift curtain to keep the boys from being nosy."

"What about when she's in the bathroom?"

"She usually uses the bathroom off the mud room, I didn't tell her that she needed to do that. She gets up early in the morning before everyone else and washes up. I promise you that I doing everything I can to make being here easier for her." he assured her.

"That's all I ask." Sarah said with a sigh.

"She's too young to be worrying about the things she worries about. I caught some of the boys giving

her a hard time the other night so I threw them out and told them that they couldn't come back."

"What were they doing?"

"Typical teenage boy stuff. The stuff that Klopman warned us never to do with Piper because if we did we wouldn't be allowed back here. I warn the boys as soon as I decide to let them stay that there is a girl here and that she is to be treated with respect."

"Maybe I could ask Specs or Piper to come in and teach them a few days a week." she offered.

"That would be a good idea. Charlotte is really smart, I don't want her to lose that because she wasn't able to have the life that a normal kid has."

Sarah nodded before turning towards the door. She had originally come to talk to him about bringing in a teacher and she was glad that he agreed with her. Outside, the wind blew cold rain at her from every direction. She quickly opened her umbrella before shivering. She would hurry as much as she could to her mom's then she would wait for Jack. Tonight was not a good night for the girls to walk home.

XXXX

Dutchy was washing dishes before the lunch rush when he started to feel lightheaded. He asked someone to take over before going out onto the floor to sit down. Whatever was wrong with him was getting worse and he knew that Ethan would make him go to the doctor again if he didn't get better soon. He held his head in his hands as it pulse and pounded. He clenched his eyes shut to shut out the light streaming in through the window.

"You all right Dutch?" Tibby asked from behind the counter.

"I just need a minute." Dutchy said weakly.

"Maybe you should go home. You look a little pale."

"I'll be all right." he said shaking his head slowly.

A few minutes passed before Tibby placed a cup of tea in front of Dutchy.

"Drink it, it will help."

"Thanks." Dutchy said picking up the cup slowly.

"Is it your stomach again?"

"No, it feels like my whole body aches. I sweat, even when I'm cold."

"You might want to go to the doctor again."

"They're going to tell me the same thing that they told me last time. I have the flu, and I just can't seem to shake it." Dutchy said indifferently.

"It can't hurt to get a second opinion."

"I don't have the money to get a second opinion. I was barely able to pay the last doctor I saw." he said shaking his head slowly.

Tibby walked away shaking his head. Dutchy knew that he was being stubborn. He had an excuse for every time someone mentioned going to the doctor. He finished the tea and stood to take the cup back to the kitchen when the room started to spin. He reached for the table for support but he fell to the floor before he could get a grip on it. The cup fell from his hand and rolled across the floor stopping at Tibby's feet a few feet away.

"Walter, call an ambulance! There's something wrong with Dutchy. I'm going to get Ethan." Tibby shouted before running out the door.

The ambulance was loading Dutchy into the back of the wagon as Specs ran down the street. They were about to shut the back when Specs and Tibby stopped at the side of the ambulance. Specs leaned over trying to catch his breath while Tibby explained that he was Dutchy's only family and that he wanted to ride to the hospital with them.

"You okay, Son?" The driver asked.

"I'm fine, just trying to catch my breath." he said breathlessly.

"He ran six blocks to get here." Tibby explained.

"Come on, I'll help you get into the back with your brother." A guy shorter than Specs said, putting an arm around Specs' waist.

Specs' eyes met Tibby's and Tibby motioned for him to go alone with it. Dutchy was white as a sheet in the back of the wagon. He still hadn't come to.

"How long has he been like this?" Specs asked in concern.

"Ten minutes now. We gave him something that will help him sleep through the ride. He's going to be fine." The man said.

"He's not really my brother." Specs said, not taking his eyes off of Dutchy.

"I had a feeling."

"But I am the only family he has."

"I know."

"You won't tell anyone?"

"No, but if anyone at the hospital asks, he's your brother." The man reminded him.

"How did you know that I'm not his brother?"

"The guy who called met us at the door. He said we had to wait for his boyfriend." The man explained.

Specs nodded as they continued the half an hour ride to the hospital. He wasn't going to leave Dutchy's side the whole time that he was in the hospital. He knew how much they scared Dutchy. He'd watched his little brother die because he had been negligent while using an axe at the age of ten. His parents had died of grief within two months after the accident. Dutchy was only twelve at the time and he had been alone until Specs had found him and brought him to the lodging house at fifteen. They had been together ever since.

XXXX

The sprawling campus hadn't changed since she had last been there two years ago. She walked the cobble stoned, tree lined streets amid a mass of students. People rushed passed her in a hurry to leave for the week long break. She found it strange that Les would choose to stay, instead of coming home to his family. The weather was starting to change and she was grateful for the reprieve from the bitter cold winter.

Up ahead she saw the building where Les was staying. She paused at the door to let a group of students walk out before walking down the short hall to the last door on the right. Les could be heard walking around on the other side and thirty seconds later he opened the door giving her a bleary eyed, surprised look.

"I didn't think that you would be sleeping, I should have called." she said with a sigh.

"It's okay. Come in." he said opening the door wider.

"I had a feeling that surprising you by coming early would come back to bite me in the ass." she groaned.

"I like my surprise, thank you very much." he said as he pulled her to him.

"You do?" she asked looking up at him with expectant eyes.

"Mm hmm." he mumbled before leaning down to kiss her.

Her lips molded against his, moving whenever his did. She threaded her fingers into his hair with a sigh as he applied more pressure. She sighed against his lips before opening her mouth to him. His tongue swept into her mouth, slowly dancing with hers. He moaned, feeling her body press closer to his. This was the farthest that she had ever let him take things, but he wasn't going to push his luck. He wanted to do things right.

He reluctantly pulled away from her with a sigh. Her hands slid from his hair to grip his shoulders as she tried to control her breathing. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before pulling away from her completely. She followed him to the beds that were on the other side of the room.

"I'll take my roommates bed and you can have mine."

"I've been wondering, why are we here and not at home?"

"I wanted time alone with you." he explained.

"Why does your family think that you're here?"

"They think that I'm working on extra credit work." he said giving her an evil smirk.

"Skitttery thinks that I'm helping a friend move and get settled." she said with a light laugh.

"He bought that?" he chuckled.

"Yes, he did." she said matter of factly.

"What does Natalie think?"

"She saw through it. I had to tell her the truth. She promised not to tell him." she said with a sigh.

"We'll tell him while I'm home this weekend."

"What about your family?"

"We'll tell them too." he promised.

"Natalie is happy for us if that means anything."

"Let's not talk about that now." he said coming to sit next to her.

He draped an arm over her shoulders and she placed her head on his shoulder. They had an entire week alone together. He didn't want to ruin it by talking about their families. He wanted her to himself for the entire week, he was going to stingy for once. He planned to leave his room only when necessary. He had everything they would need except for food, and they could go down to the cafeteria for that. He had a feeling that she wouldn't mind.

XXXX

Specs sat in the hall outside the emergency room watching people rush by in a blur. Dutchy had been wheeled back to the emergency room four hours ago and so far no one had come out to tell him anything.

"Mr. Cohen?" An elderly nurse asked from a few feet away.

Specs lifted his head slowly, giving her a pleading look. She sat down next to him and took one of his hands in hers.

"Your brother is very sick." she said with concern.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He has Scarlotte Fever."

"Is that contagious?" he asked, letting fear sink in.

"Yes, it is. Does he live with you?"

"Yes."

"We should get you back there so that the doctor can look you over."

"I feel fine. I've been very careful about not getting near him more than necessary."

"Still, you should get checked." The woman said before standing.

Specs followed her through the doors and she showed him to an empty room. Specs sat on the gurney while she went to get him a hospital gown for him to change into. Less than five minutes later she came in with a gown and paperwork for him to fill out.

The doctor came in ten minutes later just as he finished filling out the paperwork. The nurse came in to take his vitals while he talked with the doctor. The nurse took the paperwork after the doctor had ordered blood work.

Specs hated needles. Usually he had Dutchy with him when he went to the doctor just in case they needed to draw blood. The nurse came back in with the needles and vials making him fidget nervously.

"When can I see John?" he asked quietly.

"He's sleeping Honey. He'll probably be sleeping for a while."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"There giving him a lot of fluids and he's on a morphine drip right now."

"He would really want me with him. He doesn't like hospitals or doctors."

"Why not?"

"He watched our younger die right in front of him because the hospital wouldn't admit him when he was ten."

"When was this?"

"Almost twenty years ago."

"Things have changed a lot since then. I promise you that we are doing everything we can." she said with a reassuring smile.

Specs nodded as she tied a band around his arm. She tapped at the crook of his arm to bring a vein to the surface. He squeezed his eyes closed tightly as he felt the needle go in.

"Just try to stay relaxed. I have to get a few vials." she said soothingly.

Specs nodded, trying not to think of the pain. The nurse worked quietly and a few minutes later she was done.

"Just lay down and rest, the doctor will be back to talk to you shortly."

"Can you tell me how John is doing?" he pleaded.

"He's resting. If anything changes, I'll come back and get you." she promised.

Specs lay back on the table and tried to relax as best as he could. He heard people walking up and down the hall and he would watch the door expectantly to see if it was the doctor. He finally dozed off after forty five minutes of waiting.

He felt someone shaking him awake and he opened his eyes slowly. The doctor came into focus, smiling down at him apologetically.

"We've got your test results back. You're free to go."

"What about John?"

"He'll need to stay for a few days so that we can observe him. Has he been sick for very long?"

"A few weeks. He went to the doctor when he first got sick and they said that he had the flu. I told him repeatedly that he needed to go to the doctor again."

"He was asking for you when he woke up a little while ago. He asked us not to wake you up."

"Was he scared?"

"Very, he asked repeatedly if we were keeping you from him on purpose. We had to give him a sedative to calm him down which made him in turn fall back to sleep."

"Can I see him?"

"That isn't a very good idea Mr. Cohen. Even though you don't have it now, there's no telling if you could catch it in the future."

"He will get better won't he?"

"We are doing the best we can. But sometimes the patients never fully recover."

Specs let what the doctor had said sink in. He would need to tell everyone what was going on so that they didn't come over to the apartment and possibly get it. The doctor mentioned that their entire apartment would have to be cleaned before Dutchy would be able to come home. It was too much for him to think about on top of worrying about Dutchy.

He was released less than half an hour later and he wandered aimlessly. The doctor had said that Dutchy would more than likely need round the clock care for an undetermined amount of time. He would have to talk to the principle about taking a leave of absence for the rest of the year.

XXXX

It was early on Monday morning when someone knocked on Les' dorm room door. Les raked a hand over his face as he threw his feet over the side of the bed. Piper sat up in bed staring at him through bleary eyes.

"Go back to sleep, I'll handle it." he said as he crossed the room

He opened the door, giving the person outside a confused look. A young boy dressed in a Western Union uniform stood in the hall with a telegram in his hand.

"Lester Jacobs?" The boy asked.

"Yeah."

"I need you to sign here please." The boy said handing him a clip board.

Les quickly signed the piece of paper and the boy handed him the envelope. He opened it before as soon as he shut the door. _Dutchy is sick, come home, Nat. _Was all it said.

"Get your things together." he said before walking towards the closet.

"Why?"

"We're going home."

"Did something happen?"

"I'll explain on the way. Why are you still in bed? We have to leave, now." he said hurriedly.

Piper threw back the covers and crossed the room quickly to her bag which was on his desk.

"Do you think that you will be able to exchange your ticket?"

"It's a nonrefundable ticket, I have enough on me to get both of us a ticket home."

"Don't worry about that, I'll buy them. You don't have that much money and I know it." he said as he pulled a shirt over his head.

Five minutes later they were outside hailing a taxi. Once in the taxi Les fell against the seat with a heavy sigh.

"Are you going to tell me what is going on?"

"Not right now."

"I want to know what is going on and I want to know right now Lester Allen Jacobs." she said sternly.

"Dutchy is sick, that's all I know."

"He's been sick for almost a month now."

"Maybe he's gotten worse."

"In the two days since I saw him last?"

"My dad was fine one day and in a coma the next. You know how fast things can change even better than I do."

"I'm sorry." she said quietly.

He took hold of her hand and squeezed it tightly as the taxi moved in and out of traffic. She was quiet for the entire ride to the train station, which he wasn't used to. He was so used to her voicing every emotion she felt that her silence unnerved him.

She sat across from him looking out the window for the entire two hour ride into the city. She was silent and stoic as they got off the train. Skittery was waiting for them with his arms folded over his chest. Apparently Natalie hadn't kept her promise.

"We'll talk about the two of you later. Dutchy was released from the hospital less than an hour ago. He's at my apartment while Natalie and Sarah clean his." he said not looking at them before turning around.

Les took Piper's hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. She fell into step with him while watching her brother's fast retreat.

"He's mad." she said sadly.

"We'll make him understand." he said reassuringly.

Skittery had a cab waiting and was already in it when they came out of the station. Piper got in the middle and Les held onto her hand as he slid into the car. Skittery looked out the window, his lips forming a tight line.

Piper looked down at her and Les' intertwined hands forlornly. She was not going to let her brother make her feel sorry for wanting to be happy. The cab stopped outside Skittery's apartment building and Les got out, than helped Piper out while Skittery paid the cabbie. He got out on the other side and Les shut the still open door back driver's side door with a shake of his head.

Skittery walked around the back of the cab as it pulled away. He didn't look at either of them as they walked into the building and followed him up the stairs to the second floor.

Dutchy was lying on the couch with Specs sitting in a kitchen chair next to him. He lifted his head off the couch slightly, giving Piper and Les a small smile.

"Hey Pippa, Les." he said hoarsely.

"Hey Dutch." Les said with a nod.

"Do you need anything?" Piper asked coming to leaned down a few inches from him.

"It's best that you don't get too close Piper. You could catch it." Specs said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What do you have?"

"Scarlotte Fever." Dutchy said rolling his eyes.

"They've got him on all kinds of medicine. I have to give him shots four times a day."

"I'm sure that someone else can do that so you don't have to."

"He won't let anyone do it but me."

"You are so stubborn." she said ruffling Dutchy's hair.

"But that's why everyone loves me." he said with a lopsided smile.

"That's true."

"Can I talk to the two of you in the kitchen?" Skittery asked Piper and Les.

Piper brushed Dutchy's bangs out of his eyes with a smile before standing. She followed Les into the kitchen, not able to meet Skittery's eyes as he held the door open for her. Piper sat at the table while Les stood in the center of the room. Skittery leaned against the counter looking down at his feet.

"I'm sorry for lying to you." Piper said to break the silence.

"You tell me everything. Why did you decide to keep the two of you seeing each other from me?"

"Because I know how you are when it comes to guys showing interest in me. Do you think I wanted to put Les through that?"

"So this is my fault?"

"No, it's not. We're both adults and we are perfectly capable of making our own decisions." Les said trying to be rational.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe I was too hard on the last two guys because I want something better for you?"

"What about what I want?" Piper said, finally looking at him.

"You don't know what you want." Skittery said with a scoff.

"This is what you always do. I am not a child; I don't need you telling me what to do."

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" Specs said, opening the door enough to stick his head in.

"I'm handling it." Skittery said with a shake of his head.

"You're giving Dutch and I a headache is what you're doing." Specs said with a light laugh.

"They aren't kids anymore Skits, you should be happy that she's happy." Dutchy called from the living room.

Specs nodded his opinion before shutting the door again. Skittery pushed away from the counter to sit across from Piper, he motioned for Les to sit in between them with a sigh.

"If you hurt her, I swear to God I will gut you and feed you to the fish." he said, giving Les a threatening look.

"I know." Les said with a nod.

"I'm sorry for treating you like a kid."

"It's okay." Piper said quietly.

"Come here." he said pulling her to him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he squeezed her tightly. He let go after a few seconds later then walked out of the room. She looked up, her eyes meeting Les'.

"I don't know about you, but I'm glad that Specs and Dutchy are here." he said with a teasing smile.

She shook her head with a smile before leaning over the table to kiss him lightly. His family would take it a lot easier than Skittery had. Sarah and Ester had been secretly campaigning for them for the past three years. She felt better now that other people knew. Keeping her happiness a secret had been slowly killing her.

She was glad that Specs and Dutchy had been there to keep Skittery from erupting too. They had always been in her corner even when she hadn't asked them to be. They were great friends to have and they now needed her to be there for them. She would do everything she could to see that Dutchy had everything he needed.


	5. For Family and Honor

**Disclaimer: I do not own the actual Newsies; but I do own the movie.**

**AN: I wanted to let all of you know that this story won't be coming out as quickly as it has been as of late. I ****only had four chapters written when I first posted this story on FF. Lucky for you guys my mind never shuts down so I am constantly coming up with new ideas for this story, which means that there won't be a long gap in between chapters.**

It had been nearly a month since Les and Piper had made their hasty return home. He had come home with every intention of telling his family that they were together. He had wanted to tell them when they were all together. Something had always gotten in the way. Last weekend David had needed his help at the house, the carpenter was going to be installing the new cabinets and counters in the kitchen and Emmaleigh wanted someone there to make sure that everything was done exactly as they wanted it. David hadn't been able to get away from work and Jack was pulling extra shifts at work to make up for the time that he had taken off when Dutchy had first gotten sick.

Les stepped into the train depot, searching through the crowd for Piper. She had said that she might not be able to make it, but that she was going to try to be there when he got in. Apparently she hadn't been able to grade all of her student's papers before he came home. He would go by and see her before he went home. He hailed a cab and gave the cabbie Piper's address before leaning his head against the back of the seat. He was so worn out that he felt like he could fall asleep at any moment.

He was grateful to be done with school for the summer. It had been a long, hard year and he was looking forward to unwinding for the next three months. Maybe he could get his job back at Tibby's for the summer he thought to himself.

"Did you fall asleep back there Kid?" The cabbie asked gruffly.

Les shook himself from his thoughts to realize that they were outside Piper's building. He pulled a five dollar bill from the pocket of his vest and handed it to the cabbie before getting out. He shouldered his bag before going into the building. He was hoping to talk Piper into going to his mother's tonight. He wanted to get her mind off of her job for once. She still had a few weeks before school let out for her students for the summer.

Things between them had been strained for the past couple of weeks. She wanted to tell his family. Who cared if they weren't all together when they told them? The only person that really needed to know was Esther. Les had to do things his way, even if he drove her crazy in the process. They had a lot of things to work out if they wanted their relationship to last.

He knocked on Piper's door once and could hear her on the other side almost immediately. She opened the door just enough to stick her head out, giving him a tired look. His eyes searched hers, worried that something was wrong.

"You can't stay here." she said quietly.

"What's wrong?"

"Dutchy's here, Ethan is out of town for the weekend visiting his sister. I haven't slept in days. I haven't even started on my stuff for school because every time I sit down to do it Dutch needs something." she said exasperatedly.

"I'll take care of him. You get your work done." Les reassured putting a hand on the door to push it open.

She stopped him with a shake of her head.

"I don't want you exposed to what he has. I'll come by and see you on Sunday."

"Yet, it's okay for you to be exposed to it?" he asked harshly.

"Ethan showed me what to do. I'm being careful." she promised.

"You can't even talk to me for a few minutes?" he pleaded.

"Go. He sounds like he's missed you almost as much as I miss Specs." Dutchy said from somewhere in the apartment.

Piper and Les sat on the front stoop taking in the sights and sounds of a typical spring day in New York City. Children ran through the throng of people on the streets dodging people left and right. It reminded Piper of when she and Les used to do the same thing.

"Are you going to tell your mom this weekend?"

"I will if I can get everyone else to the apartment."

"Why is telling everyone so important to you? Mom is the only one who matters." she asked with a sigh.

"Because I don't want relive what happened with your brother again." he reminded her.

"Please just tell your mom, she can tell everyone else. I feel like you're ashamed of me." she said as her voice cracked.

He hadn't thought about that. Since she put it that way he could see where she was coming from. He hadn't thought anything of it when they decided to hold off on Skittery. His family would have no problems with them being together. He would do what she wanted because that was what she deserved.

He took hold of her hand, threading his fingers through hers. He brought their intertwined hands to his lips, kissing her hand gently. She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder as she watched the sun sink lower into the skyline. She knew that things weren't easy for him, but her life wasn't exactly great either. He was the only thing that kept her going.

XXXX

Emmaleigh and Sarah worked side by side trying to get ready for dinner tomorrow. Esther had wanted to a celebratory dinner because Les was home for the summer. They had done this every summer when David had come home from college. Esther had wanted Sarah to go to college before settling down, but Sarah didn't see the need to. She was happy working as a seamstress, just like Esther. Sarah was happy with every decision that she had made.

Emmaleigh paused wanting to bring something up, but not knowing how. Sarah stopped what she was doing to turn around to face her.

"I know something is going on. What's wrong?" she prodded.

"Nothing's wrong exactly, I just wanted to ask you something." Emmaleigh explained.

"Then ask me. It can't be that bad." Sarah said with a light laugh.

"Would you mind helping me plan the wedding? I have no idea what I am doing." she said honestly.

Emmaleigh was the youngest in a family of four boys whose mother had died during childbirth. All of her brothers were grown and out of the house by the time that Emmaleigh was born, leaving her elderly father to raise her on his own. She'd had plenty of female friends growing up but she'd never had someone to look up to for female guidance; not until Esther. She was the first of her friends to get engaged so she had no one to talk to except for Sarah.

"Of course I will. I am honored that you would ask." Sarah gushed.

"There's so much to do, I felt like I was drowning. David is helping as much as he can, but he knows even less than I do."

"Men aren't programed to help plan weddings. I had the same problem with Jack."

"David is helping in some ways. He helped me put the guest list together and he's going to help with the menu for the reception. He's already found two groomsmen and a best man, which reminds me, would you like to be one of my bridesmaids? I would ask my maid of honor for help, but she lives in California and can't be here."

"I would love to be a bridesmaid." Sarah said proudly.

"Good." Emmaleigh said with a small smile.

Sarah squeezed her shoulder gently before going back to wiping down the counters. Emmaleigh went back to washing dishes, glad that Sarah was willing to help her. Her head had been spinning with all of the plans that she had to make on her own. She was only twenty four, too young to be planning something like this on her own.

XXXX

Les looked around the room, taking in all of the people that were there to see him. He hadn't seen most of them since Christmas because most of them hadn't been able to come to Mayer's funeral. The one person that he wanted to see wasn't there which made his heart ache. He had promised Piper that he was going to tell his mom that they were together this weekend and he was going to keep his promise even if it wasn't the best time.

He crossed the room to where Esther sat with the girls on the couch. He picked Susan up then placed her in his lap. The little girl immediately pulled his watch out of his pocket and had it open to chase the second hand around the dial with her finger.

"Are you having a good time?" Esther asked to get his attention.

"Yes ma'am, I appreciate you doing this for me. I wanted to talk to you about something." he said.

"I'm listening." she said, encouraging him to go on.

"I am seeing someone." he said with trepidation.

"Where is she?" Esther asked, searching the room.

"She couldn't make it."

"If this girl had any sense she would be here when you tell me that the two of you are together." she scolded.

"She wanted to be here. She's taking care of a friend." he explained.

"Is this relationship serious?"

"Yes ma'am."

"How long have you been with this mystery girl?"

"A month." he said, knowing what her reaction would be.

"A month?" she accused loudly.

"It was my decision to wait to tell you."

"What kind of girl are you seeing if you can't tell me about her?" she admonished.

"She is the most wonderful person I know."

"What's going on?" David asked, coming to sit in recliner across from them.

"Your brother is dating someone and kept it from us. Supposedly she's wonderful." Esther said flippantly as tears started to flow.

"Les?" David asked impatiently.

"Mom, you're getting upset over nothing." Les said, putting a hand on her back to sooth her.

"That is not the answer that I was looking for. Who is this girl?" David accused.

"It's Piper." he said with confidence.

"Piper?" Esther sniffed.

"Piper?" David repeated, giving Les a skeptical look.

"Yes, Piper."

"Oh thank God!" Esther exclaimed, making everyone in the room look at them.

"Everything is fine. Go back to what you were doing." Les said, feeling a blush creep up the back of his neck.

"What's going on?" Sarah asked, standing behind the couch.

"Les and Pippa are together!" Anna exclaimed excitedly.

Sarah stared at Les with wide eyes and Les gave her a tense smile as his face turned red, obviously embarrassed. Everyone in the room was now staring at the small group again, wondering if they should be left alone or if everyone should join in the celebration. David stood and turned to face everyone, running a hand through his hair.

"This monumental occasion deserves some champagne. I'm sure that Les is glad that all of you are glad to celebrate with us. Aren't you Les?" David asked, turning to the side to look at Les.

"Yes, thank you everyone for being here." Les said once he found his voice.

Emmaleigh came out of the kitchen carrying the champagne then Jack and Skittery followed her carrying trays of glasses for everyone. They weren't exactly champagne flutes, but they would do the trick. Now if only Piper were there to share this moment with him.

Every female in the room crowded around him, peppering him with questions about Piper. He answered every question while his mother went in search of a picture of Piper that she could show everyone.

"Why isn't she here?" His cousin Audrey asked.

"She's taking care of a sick friend." Les explained.

"What does she do for a living?" Audrey's mother, his aunt Linda asked.

"She's a teacher, she teaches sixth grade."

"What a very admirable profession. Teachers don't get the recognition that they used to do." Linda said admiringly.

Everyone nodded in agreement as Esther came up to them. She had been able to find a family portrait taken the summer before. Piper and Les were standing next to each other, arms touching from shoulder to finger tips. Everything about them screamed that there was something going on that they had yet to admit. He shook his head as the picture was passed around.

"So beautiful; look at her long blonde hair and brown eyes." Linda praised.

"And those eyelashes." Audrey added.

"She's a good girl." Esther praised.

"How long have you known her?" Audrey asked Les.

"Ten years."

"Mayer and I took her in. She was being raised by her brother, Jason did a wonderful job; but Piper needed guidance that he couldn't give her." Esther explained.

"Is Piper her given name?" Esther's mother asked.

"No, her name is Andrea. She was named after her mother. Piper is a nickname that a friend gave her when she was a child." Esther explained.

"You're her brother?" Linda asked, addressing Skittery.

"How did you guess that?" Sarah asked.

"He has the same eyes and cheekbones." Audrey pointed out.

"Yes ma'am." Skittery said with a nod.

"Where are your parents?" she asked.

"They're both dead. My mother died of Scarlotte Fever when Piper was only five. Our father couldn't raise us, so I took Piper and we left."

"He's passed since then?"

"Yes ma'am, around the same time that Mayer died."

"What courage you must have had to take a child and raise her as your own. You must have been just a child yourself."

"I was thirteen. I didn't want her to be raised in that kind of environment and I knew that he wasn't going to change so I did what I had to do." Skitter said with courage.

"She was a little rough around the edges when we met them, but she was a good girl, even then." Sarah encouraged.

"I cannot wait to meet her." Esther's mother remarked.

"She might be here later. I can go and see if she can." David offered.

"Please do." Linda agreed.

Everyone went back to what they were doing as Jack and Skittery poured champagne for everyone. Les' family had not only saved him but had defended Skittery's raising Piper. He couldn't be more proud of his family than he was right then.

XXXX

Now that school was over for the summer Piper was looking forward to spending time with Les. He had gotten his job at Tibby's from last summer back so that he could have money for next year while Sarah had talked Piper into working with the children at the boarding house. Sarah had offered to pay her but Piper had turned the money down without thinking twice. She knew that Sarah and Jack didn't have the money to pay her and neither did Mush so she had turned him down as well.

She stood outside the boarding house looking in through the front window. The room had been repainted and there was a roll top desk and chair where her bed used to be. Mush walked out of the kitchen, noticing her immediately. He opened the door to let her in with a smile. She smiled back, still taking in the room.

"Does it feel weird living here again?" she asked him.

"Sometimes I expect Jack to come down the stairs with a towel draped over his shoulders and a toothbrush hanging out of the side of his mouth." he admitted with a laugh.

There were many mornings that Piper had woken up to that sight. Jack shirtless, with his hair wet and matted to his head, as he made his way to the laundry room to get a clean shirt. She shook her head to make the memory go away. He was practically her brother and she shouldn't be thinking of him that way.

"The boys are upstairs if you want to go up." Mush offered.

Sarah had mentioned that there was a girl living there. Maybe she had opted out of the lessons. Piper brushed the thought off without thinking twice because it wasn't her business. Mush opened the door at the top of the stairs and shouted over the noise to get the boys attention.

"Settle down. Someone is here to see you and I want you to pay attention to what they has to say." Mush warned.

Piper stepped over the threshold and the room erupted into noise again.

"Hubba, hubba!" Someone yelled.

Someone whistled and the room broke out in laughter as Piper tried not to laugh.

"Enough! This is Piper, she's going to be your teacher and I expect you to treat her with respect." Mush warned once more.

Piper walked to the chair that Mush had placed in the center of the room for her, holding the slates and textbooks that she had brought with her in her lap.

"Some of you are older than the kids that I normally teach but I see that most of you act their age. So this shouldn't be too difficult."

"You tell 'em Piper." Mush said with a proud smile.

"Now, my first question is directed to you younger ones or the older ones that apply because I will not pass judgment on you. How many of you don't know how to write your names?"

A handful of young boys raised their hands. Piper nodded and asked the boys to tell her their names. She wrote Matthew, Daniel, James, Timothy, and John on five slates before asking the boys to come and get them. She handed the slates to the proper boy before asking the others to come up and collect their slates. The boys wrote their names on the slates while Piper explained that she would work with each of them individually if they needed her to.

"How many of you can count to ten?"

Almost every hand in the room went up except for a few. She had the ones who couldn't bring up their slates and she wrote the numbers on their slates.

"Work on those for now. Copy them as best as you can. Now, who can't count to twenty…without taking off their shoes?"

All but one boy kept his hand raised. He gave her a sheepish look. He couldn't have been any older than thirteen.

"That is nothing to be ashamed of. I couldn't count passed fifteen until I was twelve." she reassured him.

The boy smiled shyly as he put his hand down.

"Why don't you bring your slate up here and I'll show the younger ones how to count?"

The boy silently got up and walked to where she sat. He held out his slate and she noticed that his name wasn't written on it.

"Do you not know how to write your name?" she asked.

He nodded, looking down at the floor. She handed the slate and chalk back to him and he sat next to her on the floor, staring at the slate unsurely.

"Take your time." she encouraged him.

His writing was slow and shaky as she watched him, he stopped halfway through, not sure which letter came next. He was trying to spell Emmanuel.

"U, E, L." she helped him.

He looked up at her proudly and she gave him a praising smile. She took the slate and held it up for the boys to see before lifting the chalk to the board. She talked them through the lesson before moving on to teach the littler ones their ABC's. She had the older boys work on reading while Mush watched over them all. The boys were more receptive than he had hoped they would be. He just wished that Charlotte hadn't bolted at the mention of someone coming in to teach them. He would need to talk to her about that when she came back from wherever she was.

What I want to happen in this chapter:

Piper goes to the boarding house to begin teaching the boys. Charlotte is not there, she's working.


	6. A Light in the Darkness

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Newsies…Or Michael Goorjian…Or Aaron Lohr. Darn!**

Piper shook her umbrella before entering the boarding house. Someone came to stand behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see Eugene shivering, his clothes were soaked through.

"Miss Piper." he said politely.

"Come inside." she said placing a hand on his shoulder.

She ushered him up the stairs and ordered him to get some dry clothes while she drew him a bath in the steel tub. She went back downstairs once he was in the tub. She found Mush in the kitchen unloading groceries at the counter while Charlotte put the packages where they belonged.

"Hey you. I didn't realize that you were coming today." Mush greeted her.

"Mr. Meyers, could I go upstairs now?" Charlotte asked.

"Sure." Mush said smiling endearingly at the girl.

"I came by to talk to you." Piper explained.

"Can you talk and put groceries away at the same time?"

"I can." she said picking up a bundle of carrots and placing them in the ice box.

"What have you been up to since I saw yesterday?"

"Not a lot. I didn't get a chance to talk to you before I left. I wanted to ask you why the young girl who was just in here wasn't a part of the class yesterday."

"I told the kids that the lessons weren't mandatory. They weren't when we were here. She had to work. She should be here on Saturday." Mush explained as he sliced bread for lunch.

Piper nodded in understanding. She thought that it was strange that Charlotte had taken off before she had a chance to introduce herself.

"What do you know about her?"

"Charlotte? She was abandoned by her parents because they couldn't afford to take care of her."

"She's an orphan?" she asked sadly.

"Just like Specs, Dutchy, and I were. Not everyone chooses to leave their family like Jack, Skittery and you did."

"Do you think that I could talk to her?"

"She doesn't talk much. I'm the only person here that she'll talk to." he said with a shake of his head.

"All right then. I guess I'll see you Saturday."

"Don't worry about Charlotte. I'm taking good care of her." he reassured her.

"But she needs female guidance." she reasoned.

"And when she does, you'll be the person that I come to." he promised.

Piper smiled sadly before placing the now empty grocery basket in the pantry. Mush was right; he was perfectly capable of taking care of a little girl. He had helped Skittery raise her just like all of the other boys had. Charlotte was one lucky girl to have someone like him on her side.

From what Mush had told her Charlotte wasn't that different from her. The only difference was that before coming to the lodging house she was completely alone. At least Piper had had Skittery to take care of her and to lean on when things got too hard to handle. She felt bad for the little girl. There had to be something that she could do.

XXXX

Les was wiping down tables outside Tibby's when a shadow was cast over him. He looked up, squinting his eyes as the sun shined behind the person standing over him.

"Can I help you?" he asked politely.

"You could ask if you can take your break. I need to talk to you." David answered.

"Have I ever walked into the newsroom and demanded that you do something?" Les accused.

"No." David said with a shrug.

Les stood to his full height. He was glad that he had the height advantage now. The top of David's head came up to his nose. He looked down at him condescendingly.

"You may be taller than me, but I am still your older brother."

"I outweigh you by a good thirty pounds." Les pointed out.

"You are built like a meat locker." David admitted.

"So, why should I ask if I can take my break?"

"I already told you. I need to talk to you." he reminded Les.

"You're going have to be more specific." Les said before draping the towel in his hand over one shoulder.

"I just wanted to make sure you are making the right decision by dating Piper."

"What do you have against us dating?" Les asked dejectedly.

"Nothing at all, I just want you to think about repercussions if God forbid it doesn't work out between the two of you. You have to know that things will never be the same between the two of you if you don't work out."

"Don't you think that we've thought about that? Who's to say that something good can come out of the situation?" Les pointed out giving David an accusing look.

"I want the two of you to work out just as much as you do, I do. I don't want there to be bad blood between the two of you if some reason or another it doesn't work out."

"I love her, she loves me. That is all that I need."

"You love her?" David asked giving him a skeptical look.

"Yes and she loves me. Do I need to repeat anything else?"

"Has she told you that she loves you?"

"What does that matter?" Les asked in aggravation.

"She hasn't." David said with a sigh.

"She doesn't need to. I know that she does." Les said tensely.

"Don't you want her to say it at least once? I mean, it isn't normal not to say at all." David rationalized.

"I don't need the verbal validation that you do. You know that she didn't grow up in an environment when that was said, ever."

"I know but, don't you think it's strange?" David questioned.

"No." Les said with finality.

"I am not telling you what to do if that what's you're thinking. I have your best interest at heart, hers as well. I am just asking that you be careful."

Les nodded before clearing a nearby table. David watched him in concern. He hadn't realized that things were as serious as Les had mentioned. He was happy that Les had found someone, but someone as emotionally damaged as Piper carried baggage. Les had to see that.

XXXX

Specs was standing at the counter reading a letter from his sister when Dutchy announced that he was getting in the bath tub from the kitchen door. Specs mumbled a reply before going back to reading about his five year old nephew and baby niece. His sister lived in New Jersey where Specs was originally from. Unlike most of the Newsies he didn't spend his entire life on the streets.

He had finished school three years early then decided that he wanted to contribute as much as he could to his family. He had packed up and moved to New York when he was fifteen. He worked odd jobs before meeting Dutchy and finding out about the boarding house after a few months of living on the streets. He hadn't been home since and his family understood why. They supported his decision to be with Dutchy and they knew how happy Dutchy made him.

Once he finished reading the letter he made his way through the apartment hearing nothing. He checked the clock on the mantle. It was almost five thirty, time to start dinner. He would check on Dutchy before he started dinner. He found Dutchy sprawled across their bed face down in only his long johns. He placed a hand on Dutchy's wet hair tenderly before realizing that he wasn't moving. He rolled him over as gingerly as he surmised the damage. Dutchy knew that he wasn't supposed to sleep on his stomach because it made it harder for him to breath.

He checked Dutchy's pulse as he worried his bottom lip. There was a very weak pulse and he sighed in relief before running out of the apartment to the phone at the end of the hall. He called for an ambulance because there was a chance that Dutchy could have saliva built up in his chest and throat.

Specs rode to the hospital with Dutchy than was able to squeeze his hand reassuringly before he was rushed into the Emergency room. Dutchy hadn't been responsive since Specs had found him which wasn't a good sign. Specs fell off of the chair that he was sitting in to his knees and clasped his hands together and said every Hebrew prayer he remembered from Sabot school.

He hadn't prayed in years. He felt that God didn't have the time to look out for him since he had so many other people in the world to look after. It wasn't that he had walked away from his faith, more than he had lost it. When he had found Dutchy he felt that he had found what he was looking for in the world. He didn't feel so alone. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Dutchy.

XXXX

Natalie sat at the bar watching Skittery wipe glasses out after a long night. She hadn't been feeling well for the past few weeks and she was starting to worry. She was praying that she hadn't caught Scarlotte Fever from Dutchy. Skittery slid a glass of water down the bar and she caught it effortlessly.

"Are you still not feeling good?" he asked with concern.

"No." she said sullenly.

"You need to go to the doctor." he said sternly.

"What if they tell me that I've caught what Dutchy has?" she asked, scared.

"Then we'll deal with it. It could also be that you're overworked." he reasoned.

"I'll go in the morning." she promised.

He nodded before lifting the partition separating them. He came to stand behind her then turned her around. She fell against him with a sigh. She hated not knowing what was going on with her body. She was moody and she was nauseous. He had been taking such good care of her ever since she had finally told him that something wasn't right a week ago.

He pulled her from the stool then led her outside. The five minute walk to their apartment was silence filled. He led her to the bedroom, helped her change then tucked her in for the night. He sat at the kitchen table with a lone candle being his only source of light. What if she wasn't sick at all? What if she was pregnant? Could he handle that?

He had always thought that he didn't want to be a father. He didn't want to take the chance of turning out the way his father had. Natalie and Piper had helped him face his demons about his dad years ago. If in fact Natalie was pregnant he would be the best father his kid could ever dream of or want. He would make sure of it.

XXXX

The sun was shining and the heat was welcomed as Piper walked the last block home after visiting with Esther for the afternoon. David had come by while they were having lunch. He had been cool towards her. He wouldn't make eye contact with her for longer than a few seconds and wouldn't answer her directly when she talked to him. Something had happened, she was sure of it.

She saw someone sitting on the stoop of her apartment building. They were Les' size and build but she was too far away to see their face and their hair was covered with a cap. As she got closer she noticed that it was in fact Les. He took off his hat and rung it in his hands as she closed the last few yards between them.

"Les? What's wrong?" she questioned.

"It's been a long day." he said with a sigh.

"Come inside. I'll make us some dinner." she offered as she stopped in front of him.

She held out a hand to him and he took it, letting her pull him up. She placed her arm in the crook of his as they walked up the stairs to enter the building. They talked idly as they walked up the two flits of stairs to her floor. She unlocked the door then let him go in first. It wasn't all the time that he was like this. Something very trying must have happened.

Les sat at the dining table watching Piper busy herself in the kitchen. He could feel all of the stress from his conversation with David melt away. This was how it always was with her. He didn't need to explain their relationship to anyone. He would give David an earful when he saw him again.

He didn't need verbal validation to know that Piper loved him. Everything she did for him screamed that she loved him. She placed a plate of roast beef and vegetables in front of him before going to get a plate for herself.

"Where did you find the time to make this?" he asked before eating.

"It's been cooking all day. I thought that you might want to have a home cooked meal instead of soup and sandwiches all the time."

"I like your homemade soup." he said dejectedly.

"You cannot live on that alone."

"You're right. I can't." he agreed between mouthfuls.

His food was gone before she got to the table. He got himself a second helping before coming to sit across from her once more.

"You're sure nothing is wrong?"

"It'll be fine. I just had a confrontation with David."

"When?" she asked in concern.

"He came to see me at work."

"No wonder he was acting so weird when he came to your mom's." she murmured.

His eyes met hers in concern. She shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

"Obviously the talk we had didn't register." he said with disdain.

"What did the two of you talk about?"

"It's not important. I just have to make him see that he is wrong." he said with determination.

"Tell me." she pleaded.

"No." he said firmly.

"The fact that you won't tell me lets me know that you two argued about me." she said dejectedly.

"Not just you, us." he confirmed.

"He doubts our relationship?" she asked, hurt.

"I will handle it." he promised.

"Why does he have issues with us being together?"

"He doesn't. He thinks that we should take things slow. He's worries that your past will make it hard for you to let me in."

"Is that what you think?" she asked in concern.

"No!" he said quickly.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I know that you love me. That is all that I care about. I don't expect you to tell me." he said, reaching across the table to take his hands in hers.

"I had a feeling that your family would have problems with us together." she said sadly.

"My family does not matter. What we have together matters." he said giving her a pleading look.

She nodded, knowing that he was right. The fact that David tried to talk him out of their relationship stung. He thought that Piper was good enough to be a part of his family, but not good enough to date Les. She was hurt beyond words.


	7. It Will Rain

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Newsies. If I did, I would gladly share…but I call dibs on Spot. I also do not own the song that this chapter is named after and based on. It belongs ****to Bruno Mars, who I adore.**

Specs had been spending a lot of time at the hospital with Dutchy since he had been admitted three days before. The doctor had put Dutchy in a medicine induced coma as a last resort to save his life. He had been unconscious for longer than Specs had originally thought. He had lost circulation to his brain and the doctor was scared that it might be life threatening.

People had been coming and going but it didn't register to Specs. He blamed himself for what had happened. If he had been paying more attention and hadn't been distracted by the letter from his sister, than he would have been able to get to Dutchy sooner. Waves of guilt washed over him. The doctor said that the outlook didn't look good and to be prepared for the possibility that Dutchy might not make it. Specs didn't want to think of what would happen if Dutchy died. He had been a part of Spec' life since Specs was sixteen and he couldn't imagine his life without him.

XXXX

After pleading with her all week Les had been able to convince Piper to go to Sunday dinner at his mother's. She hadn't seen or spoken to David since seeing him at Esther's the week before. What would she say to him? She couldn't even think about what had happened without feeling betrayed. How could he think so little of her?

They stood outside Esther's apartment, debating if they should go in. Les didn't want to force her to do something that she didn't want to do, but he wanted to put what had happened behind them.

He opened the door and everyone turned to look at them. Sarah smiled broadly at Piper from the window as Les put their umbrella in the umbrella stand by the door. David sat on the couch, watching Piper cautiously.

"We were starting to think that you weren't coming," Sarah teased.

Les took Piper's hand and led her across the room to the kitchen without saying a word. They could both feel David's eyes on them, and neither of them were ready to deal with him yet. Esther greeted them both with a hug and a kiss on the cheek as they sat at the table.

"How are the two of you? I haven't seen you all week."

"We're fine Momma," Les answered for the both of them.

"Piper, can you not answer for yourself?" Esther asked as she turned to face them with a worried look.

"Sorry Momma, I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind," Piper said quietly.

"Tell me," Esther prodded as she sat on her other side.

"It's nothing," Piper said with what she hoped was a convincing smile.

"Do you have anything to do with this?" Esther accused Les.

"No ma'am."

"Hmm," Esther said, not sounding convinced.

Esther decided to let the subject drop and went back to making dinner. Anna and Susan came into the room and Susan made a beeline for Piper. Piper picked her up and Susan tucked her head underneath Piper's chin. Piper kissed her forehead as she wrapped her arms around the little girl.

Jack came in the room a few minutes later taking in Les and Piper's demeanor. He knew right away that something was wrong. He pulled out the chair that Esther had been sitting in and turned it around before straddling the chair. Anna could be heard asking Esther about what she was making as he looked between the two of them.

"What's going on?" he broached.

"Nothing," They said at the same time.

"Something is going on," Esther commented from the stove.

"We don't want to talk about it," Les said with a sigh.

"So something is going on?" Jack asked, giving Les an expectant look.

"It's nothing that we can't work through on our own," Les said.

"So it's a relationship problem?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Piper said quietly.

"Then that's all you had to say, we'll leave you alone," Jack promised.

David came into the room to stand next to Esther. He didn't make eye contact with either Les or Piper.

"I was wondering if there was anything that I could to help," David said politely.

"No honey, I've got everything under control. Such a sweet boy, any mother would be lucky to have you as a son," Esther praised.

"Excuse me," Piper said quickly before her chair scraped across the floor.

She passed Susan off to Les before walking briskly out of the room. The door to the apartment could be heard opening and shutting a few seconds later. Jack looked at Les in confusion who was glaring at the back of his brother's head.

Jack didn't claim to be smart, but even he knew that whatever problems Les and Piper were having stemmed from something that happened with David.

"Anna, watch your sister." Jack said before rising from his chair.

He found Piper in the hall. She was sitting on the stairs with her head in her hands. He sat next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. She brushed him off before sniffling.

"You've one of two choices, you can tell me what's going on or I can go and get your brother. Either way, you have to deal with whatever's going on," he said with a sigh.

"That's an empty threat," she said, her voice thick with sorrow.

"How do you know?"

"Jase is in Jersey until tomorrow."

"Then I guess you're stuck with me. Now what is going on?" he asked cautiously.

"When you and Sarah were dating, did you ever feel like you weren't good enough for the Jacob's?"

"All the time," he confirmed with a nod.

"When did you stop feeling like that?"

"When we got married," he said with a shrug.

"Then I guess I have a while of dealing with this," she said with a heavy sigh.

"Does David have something to do with this?" he prodded.

"He told Les to be careful with me because he thinks that I am incapable of loving him."

"I'm going to send Les out here," he said with a sigh before standing.

Jack opened the door to the apartment and Les' voice filtered out into the hall.

"I hope you're happy," he said tensely.

David was on the couch with Sarah and she had an arm draped over his shoulder in protection. Jack shut the door before Piper could hear anything else.

"Will one of you please tell me what is going on?" Sarah asked.

"David doesn't think that Piper is good enough for Les," Jack countered.

"I never said that," David said in defense.

"You might as well have," Les said pointedly.

Sarah shrunk away from David, her eyes wide.

"Go and check on the girls Sarah, Les and I need to talk to David," Jack said as calmly as he could.

He waited until the kitchen door swung shut before crossing the room to stand next to Les who was now towering over David.

"What makes you think that Piper isn't good enough for Les?"

"She didn't have the best role model when she was younger. I don't think that she knows how to love someone."

"You think that Skitt's doesn't love her? What about the Newsies? What about our entire family? Do you think that Jack doesn't love Sarah either? I swear to God if she leaves me I will beat you senseless" Les said in frustration before storming towards the door.

He jerked the door open, not bothering to close it behind him. He strode down the hall to the stairs, Piper was gone. He took the stairs two at time before pushing his way outside. He looked to the right, then the left in a panic. She wasn't anywhere as far as he could see. He made his way back upstairs and was in the apartment long enough to grab his umbrella. He could hear his mother scolding David from the kitchen as he hurried back down the hall.

He took off towards the park, hoping that she was there. She usually went there when something was bothering her. She liked to take long walks on the trails to clear her head. He all but ran the six blocks to the park then frantically looked in both directions for her. She couldn't have gotten very far. Jack had only been inside for no longer than a couple of minutes before Les left.

He nearly collided with someone because he wasn't paying attention.

"Les?" The person questioned.

Les shook his head to clear it. Crutchy was standing in front of him teetering on his lone crutch, trying to regain his balance.

"I'm sorry, Crutch. I didn't see you," Les apologized.

"Really? I called your name three times," Crutchy said with a confused look.

"I'm looking for Piper. She was only a couple of minutes ahead of me."

"I've been here for a while and I haven't seen her," Crutchy confirmed.

"Thanks anyway," Les said with a sigh.

He turned to walk out of the park with his hands fisted in his hair. Where could she have gone? He blamed himself for pressuring her to come with him. He should have known that nothing good would have come from it. He should have talked to David and set him straight before today.

He saw a flash of white across the street making him look over. Piper was across the street with her own umbrella. She must have gone home to get it before coming here. He watched her cross the street before opening his arms for her. She walked into the embrace, burying her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry," he said endearingly.

"It's going to take more than that to make me forgive you," she said into his chest.

"I set David straight."

"That sounds much better," she said with a sigh.

"My mom was chewing him out when I left."

Piper's body shook as she tried to control her laughter. Les held her tighter as her laughter finally bubbled over.

"What's so funny?" he questioned.

"I have a picture of your mom chewing him out in my head. She's hitting him with a rolling pin like she used to do with you." she said before wiping tears from her eyes.

"Hey, that hurt," he said dejectedly.

"But aren't you glad that it isn't you for once?"

"Now that I think about it, yeah it is," he said with a laugh of his own.

"Okay, I feel better now," she said as she calmed herself down.

He tilted her chin so that she was looking up at him. All of the stress from earlier was gone and he could see that she was honestly doing better. He rubbed his thumb along her chin as she smiled up at him. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. He honestly didn't know what he would have done if she had left him. He had been scared that she might for a little while.

XXXX

Specs was sleeping when the doctor came in to check on Dutchy in the middle of the night. He was woken up by the horde of nurses that crowded around Dutchy's bed. He rubbed sleep from his eyes as he watched them in confusion.

"What's going on? Is he awake?"

"No, Mr. Hunt. He's passed," One of the nurses said solemnly.

"Why didn't someone wake me?" Specs asked, getting up from his cot quickly.

"We didn't want to disrupt you," Another nurse answered.

"I was all that he had," Specs said quietly.

"I'm very sorry," The first nurse said in condolence.

"Would you like to have a few minutes with him before he's taken to the morgue?" The second nurse offered.

Specs nodded; his head in a fog. The four nurses left the room silently, one of them put a gentle hand on his shoulder but it didn't register. He pulled back the sheet that covered Dutchy as tears filled his eyes.

He remembered the first time they had met like it was yesterday. He was a snobbish know it all and Dutchy saw passed the act and decided to make him his pet project. It hadn't taken him very long to get through Specs' defenses. Dutchy had been seeing through his crap for the past thirteen years and now that he was gone Specs felt like he had nothing else to live for.

He ran his fingers over Dutchy's head like he had done a million times before. This time was different because Dutchy couldn't react the way that he always had. He couldn't give Specs the innocent smile that he loved so much.

Specs was crying uncontrollably when one of the nurses came back in five minutes later. She gently pulled him away from Dutchy. She led him out into the hall and sat down with him on the couch and let him cry into her neck. She rubbed his back soothingly as the other nurses went back into the room with the morgue director.

"Honey, you should go home. We need to get him ready to be buried. We can help you plan the funeral if you'd like."

"He wanted to be cremated," Specs explained.

"We can get that taken care of. Why don't you make an appointment to pick out an urn for him?"

"I will," Specs promised.

"Were the two of you close?"

"He was my boyfriend," Specs admitted quietly.

She nodded in understanding as she pulled away from him. Specs wiped his eyes as he tried to pull himself together. He didn't want to deal with this, he wanted Dutchy back. He had been trying to picture his life without Dutchy ever since he had been admitted. All he could see was black. He didn't have a future without him.

XXXX

Skittery had gotten tired of Natalie putting off going to the doctor for over a week so he had made her an appointment himself. He sat next to her in the doctor's waiting room surrounding by other sick people. He knew that she had a problem with doctors so he was willing to help her in any way that he could.

Her name was called and he took her hand before helping her out of the chair. They walked hand in hand to the examination room and he continued to hold her hand while the nurse checked blood pressure and temperature.

"I wish all the husbands who came through here could be like you. You're a lucky woman," The nurse praised with a smile.

Skittery nodded his thanks as she gave Natalie a gown to change into. The doctor came in a few minutes later looking down at his clipboard.

"You've been sick for nearly a month Mrs. Miller?"

"Yes." Natalie confirmed quietly.

"I've been telling her for two weeks that she needs to come and see you," Skittery explained.

"Have you been nauseous or in pain?"

"My breast have been hurting," Natalie explained, embarrassed. Why couldn't they have given her a female doctor?

The doctor nodded before writing something on her chart.

"When did you have your last menstrual cycle?"

Natalie thought back, mentally counting in her head.

"Two months ago," she confirmed.

"Mm hmm," The doctor said with another nod.

"You're not going to need to draw blood are you Doc?" Skittery asked.

"No, I think I already know what's wrong with her. I just need to make sure. I can have a female doctor come in if you'd like."

Natalie nodded quickly and the doctor left the room. Another doctor came in less than a minute later.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Miller, I'm doctor Hannigan. I'm going to need you to put your feet in the stirrups Mrs. Miller," she said as she slipped on a pair of gloves.

Natalie put her feet in the stirrups attached to the end of the bed with Skittery's help. She had a feeling that the doctor was going to tell her that she was pregnant. They had been married for less than six months. They had wanted to wait a few years before having kids.

Dr. Hannigan used a tool that Natalie didn't recognize to probe where no one except Skittery had been. She dug her nails into Skittery's palm to keep from screaming in pain when the doctor applied more pressure.

The doctor finished her examination a minute later, making Natalie heave a sigh of relief.

"Well I have good news."

"I have a feeling I know what it is," Natalie said with certainty.

"The two of you are going to be parents in about seven months; give or take," The doctor said with a kind smiled.

Natalie let out a breathless laugh as she looked up at Skittery. He was shocked, but in a good way.

"How long have the two of you been trying?" The doctor asked.

"We hadn't. We've only been married six months." Skittery said once he found his voice.

"You were lucky then. Some couples come in here who have been trying for years without succeeding."

They did consider themselves lucky. They hadn't even wanted a baby so soon after getting married, but they were excited none the less. Natalie couldn't wait to tell her family. She'd had an inkling that she might be pregnant but she hadn't wanted to jinx it. Now she wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Nothing could take away her joy today.


	8. There is No Me Without You

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.**

Specs looked around the room in sadness. Every place in the apartment held a memory for him. The high back chair next to the window where Dutchy would read looked like it was just waiting for him to decide to sit in it. Their bed was still rumpled from when Specs had watched the paramedic pull Dutchy off of it.

He turned to the bathroom and crossed the room without thinking twice. The best thing to do would be to start packing Dutchy's stuff up now so that he wouldn't be reminded of how much he missed him. He would box it up and ask Skittery to keep it in the attic above the bar until he was ready to deal with it.

He opened the medicine cabinet and Dutchy's bottle of bath soap that he loved to soak in nearly hit him on the head. He grabbed the bottle just inches before it clattered to the floor. He opened it, taking a deep breath. He had always loved the smell of this soap. Dutchy never wore cologne because the soap was all he needed.

Specs turned on the water spigot, testing the water. Once it was hot enough he put the plug in the bathtub and undressed. He poured half of the bottle into the bathtub before climbing in. The water lapped at him as he sank deeper into the tub. He let the water rise over his shoulders to his chin before turning it off with his foot. He leaned his head against the lip of the tub with his eyes close.

The smell washed over him, making him miss Dutchy more than he already did. This had been a bad idea. He stood quickly, water sloshing over the sides. He sighed as he reached for the towel that hung next to the toilet. He jerked the towel down, hearing something clatter to the floor in the process. He sighed in aggravation throwing one leg than the other over the side of the tub.

His eyes scanned the floor looking for what he had knocked off the sink. He knelt down to look behind the sink and saw his razor behind the toilet. He crawled across the floor and jerked the razor from off the floor. He gripped it in the palm of his hand, feeling it pierce his skin. He had forgotten that he'd had Dutchy sharpen it after the last time he had used it.

He opened his palm, inspecting the damage. It had sliced through his hand easily. It was time that he faced reality. He wasn't going to be able to go on without Dutchy, and he had just found a way that they could be together. He pulled the razor across his right wrist slowly, watching the blood pulse out of the wound. He sliced his left wrist quickly and more deeply than the first wound.

He moved to stand against the wall before sliding down it. The razor fell from his hand as he saw everything in the room blur together. He took a calming breath, knowing that he was leaving behind a world of people who loved and cared about him. None of them mattered, not as much as Dutchy had.

XXXX

Skittery was storeroom at the back of the bar when someone knocked on the door quickly.

"I'm busy," he said as he went through a box of whiskey, writing down the number on a clipboard.

The person knocked again, more insistently, more abruptly. Skittery growled in frustration before climbing down from the small ladder that he was standing on. He jerked the door open, seeing a distraught Natalie on the other side.

"What's wrong? Is it the baby?"

"No. The hospital called. They said that they had been trying to get ahold of Ethan since yesterday and something about Dutchy's belongings being ready to be picked up," she said with furrowed eyebrows.

"I'll go over to the apartment," he said as he brushed past her.

"I didn't even know that Dutchy was in the hospital again," she said worried.

"Neither did I," he said, running a hand through his hair nervously.

"Get Jack or David to go with you," she called as she followed him through the bar.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

Natalie didn't wait for the door to close before heading upstairs to the office. She picked up the phone and dialed Sarah and Jack's apartment building. She bounced from foot to foot as she waited for the dial to stop spinning and the call to go through. The switchboard operator patched her through and less than thirty seconds later Jack was on the line. Natalie explained what had happened and he promised that he would meet Skittery at the apartment.

She sat at the bar with her head in her hands. Dutchy had died and no one knew where Specs was, she didn't want to think the worst but she couldn't help it. She said a few rosaries as she clutched her necklace through her blouse. Once she was done she wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. It was almost time for the bar to open for the night. She would need to call someone and ask them to come in and help her.

XXXX

Skittery and Jack stood outside Spec's apartment listening for any noise from inside. A door opened down the hall and Jack looked at the person.

"Do you know if the person living here is home?" he asked.

"You mean Mr. Hunt or Mr. Turner?" A teenage boy asked.

"Yes," Jack said with a nod.

"I haven't seen Mr. Turner since he was rushed to the hospital last week. Mr. Hunt came in yesterday afternoon. I haven't heard anything from there since."

"Thank you," Skittery said with a grateful nod.

He tried the nob and it turned easily underneath his hand. He pushed the door open and he went towards the bed room while Jack headed towards the fire escape. Skittery headed through the bedroom to the bathroom, seeing a pair of bare feet.

"Specs, whatcha doing on the floor?" he asked from a few feet from the door.

When he didn't get an answer he closed the distance to the door. He stared at the scene in front of him with wide, shocked, scared eyes.

"Jack? He's in here," Skittery called loud enough for Jack to hear him.

"What excuse did he give you?"

"Jack, call the mortuary, I'm gonna call his family."

"What do ya mean you're gonna call his family? You know just as well as I do that Dutch's parents are dead," Jack asked from the living room.

"Not Dutchy's, Specs," Skittery said turning his head away from the door.

Jack stood just inside the bedroom when Skittery pushed himself away from the bathroom.

"What happened?" Jack asked skeptically.

"Specs' is in there, he's dead," he said jerking his thumb towards the bathroom.

He could hear Jack retching as he opened the door to the apartment. He made his way down the hall to the phone and got in touch with the mortuary. Jack came out of the apartment as he hung up the phone. He looked shaken up, weak and weary. Neither had seen a dead body before. Skittery had been at school when his mom died and she had been taken away by the time he got home, his dad had decided that the casket should be closed so that the kids wouldn't have to see her and Jack was too young to remember if he had seen his mom after she died.

They sat on the stairs outside of the apartment waiting for the hearse to pick up Specs' body in silence. Once it got there Skittery led them up to the apartment. Jack was frozen in shock even after half an hour. People came out of their apartments when they heard the gurney being hauled up the stairs.

An elderly woman nearly fainted when Specs' body was wheeled out. She was led back into her apartment by a man that Skittery had met a few times but didn't remember his name. Some people talked behind their hands in shock while others openly wept. Skittery followed behind the gurney with his eyes cast down. He didn't want to deal with this right now. He had planned on coming tonight to tell both Specs and Dutchy that he was going to be dad. It was strange how only one hour could change things.

XXXX

Natalie left Skittery alone when he came in that night. Luckily, Piper and Les were able to come in on short notice. Les was manning the bar while Piper made the rounds on the floor. Natalie took over for Skittery by taking inventory in the locker. It was frigidly cold and she had been able to find one of Skittery's flannel shirts upstairs then she piled her sweater on top of that before she was comfortable.

Les came to the back to grab a case of whiskey once things started to settle down. He had so many questions but he knew that it wasn't his place to question what was going on. Skittery had been held up in his office ever since he came in three hours before.

He passed the locker to see Natalie reaching for a large box out of her reach. The ladder tottered, and she held on to the shelf for dear life. He pushed his way through the boxes on the floor to steady the ladder. She climbed down the ladder slowly, her chest heaving once she reached the bottom. She raked a hand through her hair with a shaky sigh.

"You okay?" he asked in concern.

"I am now. Thank you," she said with a nod.

"What are you doing in here? You don't normally do this," he said gesturing to the room around them.

"Someone had to do it," she said with a shrug.

"I can do it."

She knew that Skittery would have a coronary if she went out front with all the smoke, plus even the smell of liquor made her nauseous now. She shook her head before sitting down on a box.

"Is something going on?" he asked, pulling up a bucket and turning it over so that he could sit on it.

"Ya know, you're pretty perceptive for a guy," she said with a teasing smile.

"It's one of the curses of having a girl for a best friend," he said with an easy smile.

"I really can't tell you, not until Piper knows," she said with a shake of her head.

"Does it have something to do with what is going on with Skittery?"

"Yes and no," she said with a sigh.

"Which is it?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"There's more than one thing going on."

He nodded before standing. He left her alone with her thoughts once more. She had never had anything bad to say about Les. He was a good kid, a little hard headed at times but that came from spending too much time with Jack as a child. She honestly thought that he was great for Piper. He kept her from being too serious and uptight like Skittery. She did not two of him in her life.

XXXX

A group of five boys surrounded Piper all of them listening to her recite the Declaration of Independence intently. The door opened and someone silently joined the group. Once she finished she set the paper down in the box at her feet.

"Now, who can tell me from what I just read, where was the Declaration of Independence signed?"

"In Philadelphia," Eugene said.

"Very good Eugene, but remember to raise your hand next time. Who can name one of the people who signed it?"

"John Adams," A boy named Matthew answered after raising his hand.

"Benjamin Franklin."

Piper looked up to see Charlotte watching her from across the room. She sat on her bunk with her back to them.

"Very good Charlotte, would you like to join us?"

"No," she said shaking her head.

"I think it's time that we moved on to Arithmetic," Piper broached.

A few of the boys groaned in protest but she was able to keep their attention for twenty minutes before their attention started to wane. She called the lesson to a close and the boys headed off in different directions. She felt a pair of eyes on her as she stood at the door. She looked over her shoulder before opening the door. Charlotte looked away quickly when Piper's eyes met hers. Piper smiled to herself as she walked down the stairs. She felt that she had made a little headway. At least Charlotte had stayed in the room and she had even offered up an answer during the lesson.

She saw Jack and Spot in the front room with Mush as she made it to the bottom of the stairs. The three of them were huddled together in a corner as she gathered her things together. None of them would so much as look her way until she pulled her shawl around her.

"Piper, can you come over here?" Mush asked.

She set the box that she was carrying down before crossing the room. The three of them looked haggard and distressed.

"Is everything alright?" she asked cautiously.

"Sit down Pippa," Mush asked.

He only called her that when something was wrong. She looked between the three of them but they still refused to meet her gaze.

"Is someone going to tell me is going on or am I going to have to guess?" she pried.

"Specs' been keeping how sick Dutchy is from the rest of us," Jack broached.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Dutchy died over the weekend. Your brother got a call from the hospital while he was at work. He and Jack went looking to Specs to ask him what was going on. Specs had killed himself," Spot explained.

Piper looked to Mush with wide, scared eyes. He held his arms opened and she sat in his lap while he wrapped his arms around her. They knew that she would take it the hardest. She had been close to Specs practically her entire life and she had thought the world of Dutchy. She cried silently while Jack left to get Skittery. He would be the only person to be able to console her properly.

**AN: I hope that I don't get hate mail for making Specs kill himself. I had a family member who I was close to, who did kill themself because they felt that they couldn't live without their other half. It's not easy to deal with.**


	9. We Fall We Pick Ourselves Up We Carry On

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.**

**AN: The title of this chapter comes from an affirmation that I live by. Life is messy sometimes and things don't always go the way that you want them to. You can't let yourself be broken just because something did or didn't happen.**

The cemetery was empty except for the crowd of thirty people who gathered under umbrellas to say goodbye to their two family members. Specs' sister cradled her three month old daughter while her son stood in between her and her husband, clutching the hands in a way that only a five year old could. The minister gave a brief graveside sermon before asking for a moment of silence.

Specs' sister Adelaide had allowed him to be buried with Dutchy in New York because that was what he would have wanted. Even in death Specs wouldn't have to worry about leaving Dutchy. Adelaide had come to accept the life that her younger brother had chosen.

Piper and Les stood on either side of Esther as she cried silently. Jack, Skittery, Mush, Spot and Blink stood by themselves, shocked and stoic. Natalie stood with Emmaleigh, David, Sarah and the girls.

A steady rain fell as people draped flowers on the caskets then walked away. Natalie waited off to the side for Skittery and he took her hand in his silently. Blink walked back to the bar with them and helped them get everything ready for dinner.

Soon the bar was filled with all of the people who Specs and Dutchy cared so much about. Crutchy came in as everyone was sitting down to dinner, apologizing repeatedly for not being able to get out of work to make it to the funeral.

Once things had settle down Skittery stood, pulling Natalie up with him. Everyone turned their attention to them once Skittery cleared his throat to get their attention.

"We have something that we want to say," he started.

"We had planned on telling most of you by now, but with everything that has happened we thought it would be better to hold off," Natalie finished for him.

"Are you pregnant?" Piper asked.

"Yeah," Natalie said with a breathless laugh.

Piper stood and made her way to them. She stood in between them, draping an arm over Skittery's shoulders and taking hold of Natalie's hand. Everyone else voiced their congratulations. Skittery draped an arm over Piper's shoulders squeezing her lightly. She turned to look at him, giving him a proud smile. He gave her an easy smile, looking at her from underneath his eye lashes.

Waiting to tell everyone had been the right thing to do. It also carried the bonus of telling everyone at once. They hadn't planned on having kids so soon after getting married. They had been married for less than two years, but they were thankful for the chance to be parents.

XXXX

Piper was sitting at the kitchen table at the boarding house when Charlotte came in from work. She sat facing the girl as she took off her shoes and hung up her umbrella in the mud room. Mush had taken the boys to Medda's for a matinee show so that Piper and Charlotte could have some time alone.

Charlotte rifled through the pantry for something to eat all the while feeling Piper's eyes on her. She chose a bag of ginger snaps before going to the ice box for the milk. She couldn't reach the cabinet where the glasses were kept so Piper crossed the room to reach around her to retrieve one.

"Thanks," Charlotte mumbled.

"You aren't used to having people help you, are you?"

"No one has ever helped me, not without ulterior motives."

"That's a big word for such a young girl."

"My father is a writer," she said looking down at her feet.

"Where are your parents now?"

"I don't know," she said with a shrug.

"I was younger than you were when my brother and I ran away from home. I lived here for a while myself."

"Mr. Myers told me," she said with a nod.

"If you ever want to talk, I'll listen," Piper offered.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Piper asked, perplexed.

"Usually when someone is nice to me they want something," she said with another shrug.

"I want what is best for you. Every child deserves to have a good education and someone who can mold them and show them the difference between right and wrong."

"I don't need your charity," Charlotte said giving her an even look.

"I am not giving you charity. I am just someone who is been where you are before, luckily I had an older brother who was able to look after me and see that I had everything that I needed."

"Aren't you blessed?" Charlotte said before brushing passed her and walking out of the room.

Piper sighed as she put the cookies back in the pantry and then put the milk and the unused glass where they belonged. She hadn't expected Charlotte to be offended and bristle the way she had. She would just have to try another angle. She didn't like that the girl was so untrusting. What had happened to give the girl such a harsh outlook on the world?

XXXX

Skittery, Jack, Mush, Blink, Spot and Crutchy sat in a dark corner of Tibby's talking over the events that had happened recently. They still couldn't believe that Specs would kill himself. Why hadn't he told anyone that Dutchy had passed? How much grief could Specs have been going through to push himself as far as he did? Why hadn't someone checked on to the two of them more often?

"I wrote Race the day we found out," Skittery broached.

"Have you heard anything back yet?" Jack asked hopefully.

"No. It's not like him to go longer than a week without writing."

"How long does it take for him to get a letter?" Blink asked.

"I always use express mail; it would have only taken three days. He should have gotten it the day before the funeral."

"So he's known for three days?" Spot questioned.

"He would have called, not written," Jack reasoned.

The six friends were at a loss as to what to do. It would take a while to pick up the pieces and move on.

"How's Nat doing?" Mush asked.

"She's doing alright. I have to keep an eye on her because she's trying to do too much. I'm going have to hire someone to help out."

"I can send someone to help out," Spot promised.

Skittery nodded his thanks and the conversation was changed to what Blink had been up to. Skittery's eyes scanned the restaurant and he saw Les with his back to them clearing off a table not far away. Les finished and looked over his shoulder, feeling someone watching him. Skittery nodded in recognition before returning his attention back to the conversation.

Les came up a tray of beers for them and set them down silently before moving on to the next table to take their order. The friends finished their beers before deciding that it was time to leave. Skittery and Mush walked back to the lodging house together knowing that Piper would be almost done with the kids. Skittery needed to talk to her and he figured now was as good a time as any.

Piper was coming down the stairs when Mush and Skittery walked in. Mush smiled in greeting before heading to the kitchen to start dinner.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her brother, giving him a curious look.

"I want to talk to you," he explained.

"What did you need to talk to me about?"

"Les," he answered honestly.

"What about him?"

"I noticed that the two of you have been spending more time together," he observed.

"That's what couples do Jace," she said with an awkward laugh.

"So things are getting serious?"

"He hasn't asked me to marry him, if that's what you're asking."

"That wasn't what I was asking."

"Then what-Jason Andrew Miller are you insinuating that we are sleeping together?" she accused harshly just above a whisper so that the kids and Mush wouldn't hear them.

"Yes, that is exactly what I want to know," he answered pointedly.

"That is none of your business, but if it will stop you from asking Les, no we aren't," she said, shooting daggers at him.

She gathered her things and stormed out of the lodging house. He didn't like having her mad at him but he had been worried about her ever since he had found out that they were together. Mrs. Jacobs had raised the both of them to know that waiting was important. He should have known that the two of them had more respect for each other than to have sex before marriage.

XXXX

Les stood at the back of the bar taking in his surroundings. He couldn't remember a time when he had come in without Piper before a week ago. He had been here three times since the night that everyone had found out about Specs and Dutchy. He wouldn't let Jason pay him for the work that he did. He had noticed that the nights that there was live music things tended to get out of hand. He would step in to keep fights from breaking out, he would toss out the ones who'd had a few too many and he would keep the boyfriends from hitting their girlfriends. It was an easy job it didn't take a lot of him.

Skittery watched him from behind the bar during a lull. Most of the people there tended to stay away from Les. None of them wanted to mess with someone who was close to six foot five and weighed close to two hundred and thirty pounds that was all muscle.

Skittery shook his head wondering how David and Les could be related. They were two completely different people. Les was a good kid, a little reckless at times and stubborn more often than not but he had always treated Piper like gold. Skittery couldn't complain when it came to that.

He went back to the back to grab a case of whiskey and more beer while the band set up for their next set. When he came back to the front Natalie was working the bar while the guy that Spot had sent worked the floor along with Amy, who had been working there almost as long as Skittery had.

The crowd dwindled as the hours ticked by and by two the only people left were Skittery and Les. Skittery pulled an envelope from underneath the bar as Les readied to leave. He met him at the door and placed the envelope in Les' vest pocket.

"What is that?"

"Your pay for the week, I know that you said that you didn't need the money but I can't let you work here without paying you. It's against the law."

"I guess I could use to pay for college this year."

"It's not that much," Skittery said giving him an even look.

"College isn't that expensive," Les said with a shrug.

"How's my baby sister doing? I haven't talked to her in a few days."

Apparently she hadn't told Les about their last conversation. If she had, he wouldn't be standing without help right now. Friend or not, he had no doubt that Les would have let it slide.

"She's doing okay. She's getting ready for the new school year."

"When does school start?"

"Not for another month."

"When do you go back to school?"

"Not for another two weeks. I'm glad that you stopped to talk to me. I want to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"I want to ask Piper to marry me before I leave to go back to school."

"And you're asking for my permission? Shit kid, she'd say yes even if you hadn't asked me," he said with a laugh.

"I wanted to do it the right way."

"Well, since you asked me I guess the least I can do is give you my permission. Go ahead and ask her," Skittery said, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

Les walked out into the night, pulling his jacket closer to him to ward off the wind. It may have been July; but the wind off the harbor made it feel like October. He was glad that he had been honest with Skittery. He had always known where he stood with him and he was glad that he trusted him enough to let him take care of Piper for the rest of her life.

What I want to see happen in this chapter:

Les contemplates asking Piper to marry him, he talks to Skittery.


	10. The Return of an Ally and Friend

**Disclaimer I do not own Newsies. Sorry to burst your bubble.**

The day of David and Emmaleigh's wedding dawned bright. Everyone was calm and collected as they finished last minute preparations at the synagogue. They wanted everything to be traditional so they had opted out of having their picture together taken before the wedding, that way David wouldn't see Emmaleigh in her dress until the wedding. They had chosen to have a short engagement because they hadn't wanted to draw things out.

Skittery had their present hidden in a secret room in the back of the church and he was starting to get restless. He was the only one who knew about the present and he was itching to tell someone. He went to check on David, Jack and Les before checking on the present for a second time since arriving at the church.

In the bridal room Esther did the girls hair while Emmaleigh tried to calm her nerves. She knew that it was normal to have butterflies but she hadn't realized that it would be this bad. She felt like she was going to faint with worry. Her mother had reassured her that it was normal and had gone to get her a paper bag in case she started hyperventilating. Sarah was working on Piper's make up while Esther finished Emmaleigh's hair.

Esther squeezed her shoulders lightly in encouragement before going to the closet to bring out her wedding dress. Her mother and Sarah helped her into while Esther started on Piper's hair. A knock at the door made the woman look up once Sarah opened the door. Natalie stood in the hall with her camera. She got a couple of Emmaleigh's mother buttoning the bodice of the dress and then a few more as they were fastening her veil to her hair. Once it was in place and her face was partially hidden by the lace her mother led her to the mirror.

"You look beautiful Honey," Her mother said endearingly.

The long sleeves were made of lace while the bodice and skirt where made of silk. The empire cut of the dress fit her like a glove. She smiled shyly in approval before turning away from the mirror. Piper slid into her dress with very little trouble. The delicate material stretched taught over her body making her realize that she had put on a little weight since having the dress fitted.

"That color looks nice on you," Natalie observed.

She stood behind her at the mirror smoothing the material over her back.

"I've gained weight since I tried it on last," Piper said with a frown.

"Not enough for anyone to notice. I wouldn't have noticed it if you hadn't pointed it out. I doubt Les has noticed either," she teased.

"Having him at the apartment almost every night and expecting a home cooked meal is going to my butt," she groaned once she had checked her posterior in the mirror.

"Some men like that," Esther observed.

Sarah hid her giggle with a cough and Emmaleigh covered her smile with her hand while Piper shook with laughter. Natalie smiled in the mirror, a gleam in her eye that told her that she shouldn't worry.

"You look great," she promised.

Piper's response was cut off by another knock at the door. Emmaleigh's father let them know that it was almost time through the door and Sarah dressed quickly. A few minutes later Sarah was at the front of the line to go into the church as maid of honor. Piper walked as calmly as possible down the aisle, feeling everyone's eyes on her.

Once at the alter she took a moment to scan the room. Skittery and Natalie sat in the second row on the Grooms side. Skittery's mouth quirked at one edge giving her a quick smile while Natalie smiled sentimentally. Her eyes met Les' as Emmaleigh and her father took their final steps to the front of the room. Her father gave her away and David lifted her veil with a tender smile.

Half an hour later they were pronounced husband and wife. The guest started to file out of the room to head back to Esther's where the reception would be held while Natalie took pictures for another half an hour.

The doors at the back of the church opened and Skittery could be heard arguing in a harsh whispered tone with someone on the other side of the door. The door rattled and Skittery put all of his weight on it, holding it closed. The person on the other side started to bang loudly making everyone who wasn't already watching what was going on pay attention.

"Jason Oliver Miller, have you lost your mind?" Piper asked as the door shook from the force of the banging.

"No," he said answered, his voice strained.

"Let whoever is outside in right now," Natalie ordered.

"You asked for it," Skittery said stepping away from the door.

The door flew open and the person on the other side stumbled in. Everyone stared with wide eyes as the person righted themselves. Piper yelled in excitement before taking off down the aisle. She flung herself at the person and they caught her, nearly stumbling backwards. Skittery caught the person who Piper was now talking excitedly to.

"Calm down Piper, stop acting like a kid," Skittery chided.

"Shut up!" she tossed back in insult.

"Did anyone see who that was before she launched herself at them? Emmaleigh questioned.

"Was that…?" Sarah asked in shock.

"Surprise Dave, obviously Piper thinks he's here to see her and only her," Skittery said nervously.

"Aww, leave her alone Skitts, it's not every day that a beautiful girl throws herself at me," The person said with a light laugh.

"It is Race," Sarah said with an astonished laugh.

"Okay, Piper, back off, let everybody else see him," Skittery said, gently pulling her away.

Race held onto her hand as everyone descended upon them. The people who knew him threw questions at him, not bothering to let him answer before someone else asked him a question.

"Easy, easy, I'll answer all your questions. Just quit badgering me!" he said over the noise.

He pointed to David first letting him know that he could speak first.

"How long are you here for?"

"I'm not going back. My family can handle everything. I wanted to wait until my younger brother was old enough to take on the responsibility of running the vineyard and orchard," he explained.

"How come you didn't tell anyone that he was coming?" Natalie questioned Skittery, poking a finger into his chest.

"He asked me not to," he said in defense.

"Don't be mad at him, it was my idea," Race said sticking up for Skittery.

"Where are you staying?" Sarah asked.

"I've got a room at the Fairview."

"Why not stay with one of us?" Jack asked.

"I brought someone with me," he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"You didn't get married without telling us did you?" Piper questioned.

"No, I brought my baby sister," he said with a shake of his head.

"You brought Armory?" Skittery asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"You got your sister out of a bad situation and I didn't question you, don't question me about what I do," Race said, his anger rising.

"He's not questioning you, I have to admit that I'm a little surprised too," Piper admitted.

Race had told them a lot about his family over the years. He had never mentioned that anyone was in trouble. Then again, he was a private person who tended to keep his emotions inside unless they were forced out.

When no one else said anything Natalie gathered them together so that she could finish taking pictures. No one questioned where Armory was, knowing that Race wouldn't have wanted her first American experience to be as a wedding crasher.

XXXX

The reception lasted well into the night. It was almost midnight when the last guest left. The girls were sleeping in Les' room while Les, Piper, Sarah and Esther cleaned the apartment. There wasn't much furniture in the apartment since most of it was already at the house. They were set to move in the week before Les went back to school. Less than two weeks away.

Jack and Skittery had left an hour ago with Race. They planned to go to Brooklyn to see Spot and then round up everyone else. David and Emmaleigh had left for their honeymoon in New Haven half an hour ago and Esther was still crying softly as she wiped down one of the tables that she had been rented from the hotel.

Natalie sat by the window wishing that Esther would let her help. She had claimed that the cleaning fumes weren't good for the baby and that the four of them could have the place cleaned up in a hurry.

Piper and Les were in the kitchen washing the dishes that Sarah had carried in from the front room. She washed while he dried and put away, their elbows touching. Every once in a while she would catch him watching her from the corner of his eye and she would give him a lopsided smile to let him know that she had caught him. After the fifth time he didn't look away and was full on staring at her by the time she let the water out of the sink.

"Okay, what's wrong?" she asked, wiping her hands on a towel.

"Nothing, I was just thinking," he said with a slow shake of his head.

"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to guess?" she enquired.

"You; are going to have to wait," he said tapping her on the nose gently.

"But if it's bad"

"It is not bad; at least I don't think it is. You worry too much," he said before leaning in to kiss her lightly.

She sighed deeply, her eye brows furrowed. It wasn't like him to keep things from her. His conscience would be eating at him until he told her. Her mind would be churning nonstop until she figured out what was going on. It was something that she wasn't looking forward to.

XXXX

Race sat on the couch across the room from the bed watching his sister sleep. He'd had his reservations about leaving her alone on her first night in America, but she had practically shoved him out the door claiming that she was tired. He had spent half the night worried about her. He had planned on coming back early but Spot and Jack had talked him into going to Medda's and before he knew it, it was after three before they had left.

Amory was nothing like him. She was quiet, and tended to keep to herself. He would go so far as to say she had been naïve when they were younger, but not anymore. She had seen too much harshness, too much cruelty, it had hardened her.

Luckily Race had been smart enough to get her away from Tuscany when he had. He was ready to break the man that she worked for hands when he found out what he had been doing to her. Stupid imbecile had gotten handsy right in front of him and that had been her last day working for him. Race had gone to get her wages himself, warning the man that if he found out about him touching any woman who wasn't his wife again, that he was going to cut off his fingers.

Armory stirred, her chestnut colored hair fanning out around her as she stretched with a groan. He smiled endearingly, glad that she had come with him. She deserved to have a better life; a life where she didn't have worry about if her employer had hired her for ulterior motives. He wanted her to have every chance she could grasp to have a better life. The only way to do that had been to get her out of Italy. Teaching her to speak English hadn't been easy, but after a month she had gotten the hang of it. Now, they needed to find jobs so that they could stay and not go back home to be humiliated their family.

She sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Her eyes focused on him sitting in the darkness after a minute. He turned on the lamp on the table behind him and she groaned at the sudden burst of light.

"What time did you go to bed last night?"

"Eleven, I think," she said groggily.

"I thought that you were going to bed early," he said in a worried tone.

"I planned on waiting up for you, I fell asleep," she said with a shrug.

"I didn't planning on staying out so late. You don't need to worry about me."

"I wasn't worried about you. I was wondering when I am going to meet your American family," she said with an easy smile.

"You'll meet them soon enough. We've been invited to lunch," he explained.

She nodded before climbing out of bed. She crossed the room to wrap her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. They stayed that way until he pulled away a minute later. He smiled endearingly down at her and she smiled in response. Everything would be fine, they had changed the fates and now all they had to do was wait for the next chapter in their lives to start.

**AN: I wanted to let all of you know how to say Armory's name. I have come across names when I read where I wish tha****t the author would put a side note explaining the character's name so that it is pronounced correctly. Her name is R-More-E****.**


	11. Planning For the Future

**Disclaimer:**

**David: Donna does not own Newsies or anything retaining to its characters.**

With summer winding down Les was not ready to go back to school. So much had changed for him that summer and he feared that things would go back to the way they were before. He needed to do something to ensure that Piper knew that he wanted to make things work. He knew exactly what he needed to do, although it would scare Piper and she might balk at the idea. Hopefully their relationship would still be intact in the end.

He left the apartment early one morning, not wanting his mother to know what he was doing. If he was going to go through with his plan, then he was going to do it right. Once he'd made up his mind he set out to the task at hand. Nothing would be able to stop him and until he extracted his plan perfectly.

After a full day of running errands and making sure to never be seen by anyone he knew he walked into the apartment worn out but happy. Esther was putting dinner on the table as he toed off his shoes.

"I didn't realize that you were working today," she said in greeting.

"I didn't, I had a couple of errands to run."

"Sit down, eat. You look haggard," she said worriedly.

"I feel haggard, but it was for a good cause."

She sat across from him, taking his hands in hers gently so that he could say a prayer over their dinner. She passed him a bowl filled with green beans and potatoes before slicing the meat loaf between them. They ate in silence then Esther went to the couch to work on a blanket that she had been knitting for Skittery and Natalie's baby. Les cleared the table and cleaned the kitchen before going to his room. He pulled a small bag from the breast pocket of his vest and buried it underneath his socks in his dresser.

He mentioned to his mother that he was heading to the bar for work before heading out. Natalie had told him that Skittery had hired Racetrack as an extra bartender. Tonight would be Les' first night working with him and the first time he had seen him since David's wedding. So far, no one had met his sister but Race had explained that she was very quiet and reserved and didn't like going out that much.

He arrived half an hour early for work to see Race wiping down the bar. He lifted his head before flashing Les a grin. Les smiled back as he sat at the bar. Race continued what he was doing until he made his way down to Les. He set the rag down before placing his hands on the wood.

"I still can't get over how big you are. I don't remember your dad being a big guy," he said with a shake of his head.

"He wasn't, I take after my Grandpa Claren, on my mom's side. Apparently he was bigger than I am."

"I find that hard to believe," Race said with an even look.

"My mom has pictures. I haven't seen them in years, but I look just like him."

"How tall are you?"

"I'm six foot four."

"And how much do you weigh?"

"I weighed two hundred the last time I went to the doctor," he said with a shrug.

"That's all? You look you could weigh two twenty easy," Skittery said as he came from the back with a box of liquor.

Les came around the bar and helped them stock the shelves as Les and Race continued getting caught up. Once they were done Race started a line of interrogation that rivaled Skittery's.

"How long have you and Piper been together?"

"Since April," he answered honestly.

"You aren't going to hurt her, are you?"

"No," Les said with a laugh.

"'Cause if you do I'll help Stretch kick your ass," Race warned.

"I know," Les said with a nod.

"I still don't see why no one told me that the two of you were together while I was in Italy."

"Piper was planning on saving money to see you for Christmas, she was going to tell you then," Les explained.

Race nodded, accepting his answer. People started to shuffle in from the rain and Les pushed away from the bar, leaving Race alone to do his job. He headed to the back and found Natalie in the downstairs office going over paperwork. Her head was cradled in one hand with her fingers fisted in her hair.

"I didn't realize that paperwork could be so daunting," he said to get her attention.

"I'm going over the finances for the month. We're not making as much as we were a few months ago. I noticed it in June and it's been going down little by little each month.

"What are you guys going to do?"

"Skittery wants to hire a band. He hopes that will start bringing people in."

"A bar isn't the same without music," he agreed.

"I don't know where the money is going to come from," she said with a heavy sigh.

"Why don't I look over the finances for you?"

"I couldn't ask you to do that. You're already doing so much to help out around here," she said in protest.

He sat down across from her and held out his hand for the papers in her hand. She handed them over with another sigh. She knew that she could trust him. He was better at this than she was anyway. He was going to college so that he could become a banker so going over the bar's finances would be something that he would excel at.

XXXX

Natalie stood in the kitchen, watching the four women busy themselves. Emmaleigh sat at the kitchen table chopping vegetables for a salad while Sarah washed dishes that had been dirtied in the process of making dinner. Piper stood at the counter scoring dough, readying it to be put in the oven later. Esther was at the stove stirring a pot of vegetables and a roast was cooking in the oven.

This was Natalie's kitchen. She should be using it herself. She was ashamed to say that the kitchen had not been used that much since she and Skittery had moved in the year before. She had limited cooking skills, Skittery never complained about living on potato soup and pancakes when they were at home. Usually they got something from the deli across the street from the bar or they ate at Tibby's. A child couldn't live on steak sandwiches and potato soup alone.

It was obvious that Esther and Sarah had passed on their cooking skills to Piper. Piper would be the least likely to pass judgment on her and would be the most willing to help her out. She still didn't understand why Skittery had mentioned to Race that they would host dinner at the apartment in the first place. Race could have easily brought Armorie to the Jacob's.

She heard Skittery, Jack, Les, and David in the living room. Race and Armorie would be there soon. She headed into the dining room, looking over what needed to be done in there. She had spent the morning polishing her mom's good silver and it was spread out across the table, waiting to be put away.

She busied herself with putting the pieces that wouldn't be needed back into the pouch that they had been kept in since her grandmother had brought them over from Ireland a century before. She pulled out the china that her mother had given her as a wedding gift then finished setting the table. Sarah had brought a couple of candelabras with her so that they could be used on the table.

There was a sharp, quick rap on the door and Skittery stood from the couch to answer it. Race came in first, followed by Armorie. Natalie took a few minutes to take the girl in. She was taller than her brother but still considered short. Her hair which was the color of coffee fell in her face. Her head was cast down and her body seemed to fold in on itself. Natalie had seen girls like that before. Her mother had been like that after her father died. Something traumatizing had happened, and her heart went out to the girl.

The kitchen door opened and Esther came out carrying the pan of roast beef and Piper followed close behind her with the gravy and mashed potatoes. Sarah set the vegetables on the table last as Natalie finished rolling the silverware in napkins.

"I may not know how to cook but I do know how to set a table," Natalie said as Piper admired her work.

"It's lovely. If you ever want to learn how to cook I'd be more than happy to teach you."

"I was going to talk to you about that. With the baby coming it's time that I learn."

Piper nodded as the men gathered around the table. Everyone held hands and bowed their heads while Esther blessed the food. Armorie stood in between Race and Piper and her hand felt small and fragile in Piper's. They sat down to dinner and the conversation flowed freely. Armorie was silent, barely touching her food.

"How do you like America so far, Armorie?" Natalie asked, trying to break the ice.

"It's very nice," Armorie said quietly.

"What kind of work did you do in Tuscany?" Piper asked.

"I was a chambermaid by trade, but I would do whatever the lady of the house needed me to do."

"She was a seamstress, a governess, a housekeeper, whatever you can think of, Armorie probably did it," Race added.

"Well I just want to say that it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Race has told us so much about you," Piper said with a warm smile.

"He has?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"It's an older brother's right to sing the praises of his younger sister," Piper explained.

"I guess it is," Armorie said with a small, shy smile.

Piper realized that it wasn't a good idea to ask any more questions because it made Armorie uncomfortable. It couldn't be easy for her to come to dinner with people she had never met before. Piper thought back to when she and Skittery had first moved into the lodging house and how she was emotionally closed off for the first few days. It hadn't taken her long to open up, Specs and Blink wouldn't leave her alone one afternoon, they were telling her every joke they could think of until Blink had finally gotten her to smile. He ruffled her hair before Specs pulled her in for a hug. He held her, reassuring her that everything would be alright. That she would never have to live on the street again.

She smiled sadly thinking of the memory. Specs' death had been so sudden and three weeks later she still hadn't fully dealt with it. Her eyes scanned the table to stop at Les who sat at the head of the table opposite from Skittery. He hadn't been himself all day. He was hiding something from her, she just knew it. Les had never been one to keep secrets well.

XXXX

Piper walked down the sidewalk with her head down, she checked her list to see where she had to go next. With school starting in a couple weeks she needed to start readying for the year. Which meant buying enough school supplies to last the entire year; she would be spending her earnings from her summer job at Skittery's bar on her students. She knew better than to expect to be reimbursed. Teaching may not pay a lot of money and she may have to put most of her money to put back into the school but she didn't mind. Her students meant more to her than all the money in the world.

She walked into the supply store to pick up the order of chalk and composition books that she had placed earlier in the week. Once she was done there, she crossed the street to Tibby's. Les was still hiding something, but he wasn't as on edge as he had been that weekend. She wished that he would hurry up and tell her so that she would stop worrying about what he had to say.

Les stood at one of the outdoor tables taking a group of women's order as Piper sat down a few tables away. Once he finished with the ladies he headed to her table with his head down, finishing writing their order.

"What can I get for you?" he asked politely.

"I'll have a glass of iced tea for starters, and then I'd like for you to walk me home when you get off work," she said to get his attention.

Les looked up with a wide grin. He leaned down, making her think that he was going to whisper in her ear but he kissed behind her ear making her smile.

"I'll be right back with your order," he promised.

Piper took a few minutes to take in her surroundings. There were children playing in a fire hydrant at the end of the block, taking in the last of one of the hottest days of the summer. Across the street a mother hurried three boys into the fabric store that she had just walked out of. Emmanuel walked past her, the last of his papers for the day tucked under his arm. He waved and smiled shyly when she waved at him. Les came out of Tibby's with a tray balanced on one hand and Piper's drink in a paper to go cup in the other hand. He dropped her drink off, brushing his fingers over her shoulders as he passed before serving the women. He talked with them briefly before walking back towards Piper. He sat something that would look like her bill to anyone else on the table but she knew that he had slipped her a note without the women realizing it. She picked up the piece of paper and unfolded it seeing his careful, steady, yet hurried handwriting.

_They're my last table. I can__ leave once they do._

Piper rifled through her bag looking for her copy of David Copperfield before taking a sip of her drink. She hadn't read three pages when she heard Les at the other table. He refilled their drinks before heading back inside. A little while later one of the women went inside to pay their bill and Piper put her book back into her bag, Les would be out in a few minutes.

Sure enough Les came out the door after the woman and they were headed towards her apartment before the women could gather their things. Piper tucked her arm into the crook of his arm before leaning up to kiss his cheek. He kissed the corner of her mouth in return before patting her hand lovingly. They walked in silence, taking in the last few moments of the day. It was the end of a long work week for Les and he was not looking forward to the weekend ending. He would be leaving to go back to school on Sunday. He only had a few more days with Piper and he was going to make the most of what little time they had left together.


	12. Come Hell or High Water

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. But, my birthday is coming up in less than a month if anyone wants to give me a gift… Gabriel Damon, Luke Edwards or Aaron Lohr would not be turned ****away.**

Natalie woke to feel something pressing down on her bladder. If whatever it was applied anymore pressure she was going to wind up peeing in the bed. She winced uncomfortably as she shifted to a better position in bed. Apparently being propped up by every pillow on the bed didn't alleviate the pain.

She groaned in aggravation as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. She shuffled to the bathroom only to find the door locked. She glared daggers at Skittery through the door as she knocked on the door with an open hand.

"Give me five minutes," Skittery called over the running shower.

"I'll have peed on the floor in five minutes," Natalie said now aggressively pounding on the door.

She heard the shower curtain being pulled back then the lock being turned. She counted to five before pushing the door open. Skittery had had enough time to pull the curtain closed before she stepped in. She sighed with relief as she sat down on the toilet. She yanked the pull cord, smirking when Skittery cried out a few seconds later.

"Next time don't lock the door," she called before walking out of the bathroom.

She went into the kitchen and put some bread under the broiler before pulling the milk and butter out of refrigerator. She ground coffee beans for Skittery's coffee, relishing in the smell. She was going to consume as much as coffee as she could once she had the baby. She pressed a hand to her still flat stomach.

So far her pregnancy had been easy. She was only three months along and the baby had been healthy when she had gone to the doctor a few days before. She wished that there was a way for her to know what she was having but she knew that there was no way of determine if the baby was a boy or girl until they were born.

She knew that she had a long road ahead of her but if this kid was already causing her trouble than she was going to be near ready to kill someone by the time the baby decided to grace everyone with their presence. She was already spending a good part of her day hugging the toilet because she couldn't keep anything other than toast and hot tea down. Skittery came in with a towel draped over his shoulders. He kissed behind her ear before pulling her toast from the broiler. Natalie filled the tea kettle with water before scooping in tea leaves. She placed it on the stove to boil while Skittery buttered her toast.

Skittery knew better than to talk to Natalie before she was fully awake. He had learned the hard way not long after they had gotten married. Bad things happened when people tried to prove him wrong.

Once the tea kettle whistled Skittery pulled a tea cup and saucer from the cabinet. Natalie pulled the kettle from the stove after pouring milk and spooning honey into the cup. They sat at the table, Natalie eating and drinking her tea while Skittery read the paper and drank his coffee. This was there morning ritual. Once the baby came their lives would be turned upside down so they would enjoy everything while it lasted.

"What do you think of the name Genevieve?" Natalie asked once she was done with her breakfast.

"It's nice," Skittery said from behind the paper.

"Nice enough to name the baby that if it's a girl?" she prodded.

"I like it," he confirmed.

"What about the names John and Ethan?" she broached.

Skittery sat down the paper, his eyes meeting hers in question.

"What? You don't like that idea?" she asked, worrying her bottom lip.

"That's nice, but I like Ethan Jonathon better."

"Ethan Jonathon or Genevieve it is. We just need to come up with a middle name in case he turns out to be a she," she said with a gentle laugh.

She hadn't voiced her opinion on the baby of the sex to him but she had a feeling that he wanted a boy too, although they would be just as happy with a girl.

"I like Marie."

"Genevieve Marie, I like it. How did you come up with the name Marie so fast?"

"It's Piper's middle name. I've always liked it," he said, looking down at his hands.

Natalie smiled, knowing that Piper would be honored. Skittery went back to reading the paper while she went to their room to get dressed for the day. She was glad that they both agreed to name the baby after Specs and Dutchy if the baby did indeed turn out to be a boy. She had been reluctant to bring it up because Skittery never talked about how he felt about what had happened. With the baby named that was one thing that she could check off the mental list that she had made so that they would be ready for the baby. There were at least a hundred more things that needed to be done but they had tackled the hardest thing and she was glad to have it out of the way.

XXXX

Les had been trying to find some time alone with Piper all weekend. Every time they were alone for longer than a minute someone always came looking for one of them. By Sunday he was starting to think that everyone was working against him. He went to mass with his family while Piper went to visit Skittery and Natalie. He still needed to go to the bar to pick up his last paycheck so he would do whatever it took to get her alone while he was there.

Once he had dropped his mom off at home he told her that he would be back in an hour. She started to question him as he opened the door but he ignored her, knowing that she would keep her line of questioning going. He was on the street less than thirty seconds later. He flagged down a cab and spouted out the address as he jumped into the carriage.

The drive took less than twenty minutes because the traffic had been light. He paid the driver quickly as Skittery and Race watched from the stoop of the bar. They both waved in greeting and he nodded in recognition. Skittery followed him into the building calling his name. Les turned with a heavy sigh to acknowledge him.

"What's your hurry?" he asked with knitted eyebrows.

"I need to talk to Piper," he answered before turning to walk towards the kitchen.

"Hold on a minute," Skittery said, putting a hand on his shoulder to turn him around.

"Can't a guy ask his girlfriend to marry him without everyone trying to stop him? Is that too much to ask?" Les asked in frustration.

Something crashed to the floor behind them and Skittery looked over Les' shoulder. He shook his head, scratching his neck nervously. Les turned around slowly to see Piper staring at him with wide eyes.

"I'll leave the two of you alone," Skittery said before walking around Les to go into the kitchen.

"It's about time," Les muttered.

Piper stood frozen where she was across the room. Les walked over to her with his hands in his pockets. She watched him with scared eyes until he was standing a few inches from her.

"I didn't mean for that to come out the way it did," he said, looking down at his feet.

"I thought that we decided to wait to get married," she said once she finally found her voice.

"I know we did. But there isn't anything stopping us from getting engaged now."

"Les," she said, stopping herself from finishing.

"You don't want to," he said in realization.

"I didn't say that," she said, shaking her head, her voice small.

"Then why can't we get engaged now?"

Piper drew her bottom lip in, biting down hard to keep from crying. Les knew how she felt about getting married. She knew that Les wanted a wife who didn't work and she wasn't willing to give up her job. She loved teaching. She took a deep breath before meeting his eyes again.

"When you can give me a good reason let me know," he said before turning around.

Piper watched him leave through blurry eyes. Once the door shut behind him she fell into the closest chair with her head in her hands. Sobs racked through her so loud that she didn't hear the kitchen door open or someone cross the room to sit next to her.

"Hey, no crying allowed. Only I can do that," Natalie said soothingly.

"I couldn't-" Piper choked out.

"Shh," she said rubbing Piper's back soothingly.

"I hurt him," she sobbed.

"Do you want to know how many times your brother asked me to marry before I finally said yes?"

Piper looked up, her eyes red and blotchy and her cheeks tearstained.

"Jason asked me to marry him fifteen times in nine years. Every time I told him no because I felt that I wasn't ready."

"What made you change your mind?" she sniffled.

"He said that he was going to ask me one last time and that if I said no than he was never going to ask again. I could tell that he meant it, I had been stringing him along for years and I asked myself what I was so afraid of. You know what? I couldn't think of one thing that was stopping me from marrying him."

"Les wants a wife like his mom. I can't quit teaching, I love my job."

"Then tell him that," Natalie said logically.

"I can't be what he wants me to be," Piper said sadly.

"I don't think that he would consider marrying you if he expected you to change. He wouldn't want you to give up something that makes you happy."

Piper pulled herself together as Natalie continued to rub her back. Skittery watched through the window in the kitchen door. His heart broke seeing Piper so upset. He had wanted to go out to talk to her but Natalie had stopped him saying that she would be better suited to handle the problem.

Race came in watching Piper and Natalie through worried eyes. Skittery opened the door, beckoning Race into the kitchen.

"What happened?"

"I think Piper told Les that she wouldn't marry him."

"You think?" Race asked in confusion.

"I didn't hear what happened," Skittery said, watching his sister once more.

Piper sat up, squaring her shoulders. She wiped her eyes with a heavy sigh. Natalie was right. She needed to be honest with Les. She looked down at her watch to realize that he was probably on his way to the station, which was forty minutes away. That didn't leave her much time to make things right.

She stood without a word, making her way to the door in three very long strides. Outside it was pouring down raining and she hadn't thought to bring her umbrella. She raced back inside, already drenched.

"Do you happen to have an umbrella that I can use?" she asked Skittery who stood at the counter stocking the shelf behind the bar.

He looked up, taking in her drenched appearance.

"You were outside less than ten seconds. How hard is it raining outside?"

"It's pouring buckets," she said, looking through the barrel by the door.

"How do you plan on getting there?"

"Walking," she said as she opened the door and opened the umbrella before stepping out.

"Wait, I'll drive you," he said coming around the counter.

"Hurry up, I only have half an hour," she demanded.

"Odds are his train is delayed if it's raining hard enough to drench you in ten seconds."

They were stuck in traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. Piper could walk and be at the train depot before she got there by car. Rain pounded against the roof of the car and the windshield wipers were struggling to remove water before it collected again.

"This is ridicules, I'm walking," Piper said as she opened her door.

"Piper," Skittery called as she closed the door.

She had forgotten the umbrella in her haste. She ran towards Manhattan with her jacket over her head to keep her head semi-dry. Rain seeped into her boots and her stockings were ruined but she didn't stop. She plowed forward, the rain stinging her in the face. Ten minutes later she was off the bridge, and on the sidewalk of the lower East Side. She maneuvered through the crowd, pushing people when necessary.

The train depot loomed ahead of her and she sprinted the last few blocks before charging through the revolving door. She scanned the arrival and departure board frantically before she finally saw his train listed at the very bottom of the board. It had been delayed, but only by fifteen minutes. It was at the other end of the station and if she was going to make it than she was going to run faster than she had ever ran before.

She ran like the wind, not bothering to apologize to a mother pushing a stroller who had two other children with her when she cut them off. When she was finally at the track she searched the crowd of passengers waiting to board the train. She saw Les near the front of the line, calling out his name with all of the strength she had. He didn't acknowledge her so she called for him again, louder than the first time. He looked up confused, until his eyes met hers.

He took in her disheveled appearance as she walked to him. Her hair that had fallen free of its pins and was now matted to her face and her makeup being ruined were the least of her worries. Her clothes clung to her and she was dripping wet. There was no doubt in his mind that she wouldn't wake up sick in the morning.

"What are you doing here?" he asked cautiously.

"I am not going to quit teaching," she said with determination.

"When did I ask you to do that?" he asked, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"You want a wife exactly like your mother," she reminded him.

"When I was fifteen," he confirmed.

"I don't want you to propose to me fifteen times before I finally say yes."

"What are you talking about?" he asked skeptically.

"I'm saying yes, I'll marry you."

"You came all the way down here to tell me that? It couldn't wait?"

"I didn't want you to think that I didn't care," Piper said, looking down at her feet.

"Piper I would never in a million years think that you didn't care about me," he said with a throaty laugh.

"I love you," she said with a smile.

"I love you too Piper," he said reaching into the breast pocket of his jacket.

He pulled out a box, glad that he had kept hold of it instead of putting it back in his sock drawer when he came home to grab his things. His mother had been worried out of her mind when she saw him. It had taken him an extra ten minutes to leave because he'd had to reassure her five times that he was fine.

He opened the box, letting Piper see inside. Nestled in the royal blue padding was a half carat diamond solitaire ring with a white gold band. There were three diamonds in all, a large one in the center with two smaller ones flanking it.

"Where did you get the money for that?"

"I used the money that my dad gave me."

"I thought that you were going to use that for college."

"I have enough saved for college," he said as he slipped the ring on her finger.

"Les, it's beautiful, thank you," she said, admiring it.

"You're welcome," he said kissing her forehead.

"I'm so happy that I could hug you but I don't want to get you wet," she said with a light laugh.

He pulled her to him, holding her tightly. He looked down at her admiringly, amazed that she had run all the way from Brooklyn to meet him. Passengers began to board the train, minding their own business, wanting to give them privacy. She pulled away reluctantly after a few minutes.

"Make sure you pick up some medicine on your way home. You coming down sick is the last thing I need," he said from the stairs of the train.

She nodded with a sentimental smile. He sat up front on the side facing her so that she could see him. She knew that if it hadn't been raining he would have lowered his window and leaned out to kiss her one last time. She waved as the train pulled out of the station and stayed there until it was out of sight.

It wasn't until she turned to leave that she noticed the crowd of people staring at her. The women and girls clapped delightedly and Piper smiled shyly as she brushed her hair out of her face. It took her a few minutes to make it back outside, but when she did Skittery was waiting out front. He leaned against the car with a bored expression with the umbrella open and waiting.

"So, congratulations," he said as he came to stand in front of her.

"Thank you," she said with a pleased smile.

"Where to?" he asked once they were in the car.

"The drug store, I want to get some medicine just in case I wake up sick in the morning."

"Oh, you're going to be sick as a dog in the morning. I can guarantee you that," he said with a nod as he pulled out into the street.

The ride to her apartment was silent and Skittery said that he would drop by the store so that she could get out of her wet clothes and get warm. He stayed only a few minutes and once he left Piper was left alone with her thoughts. She stared down at her ring, admiring it from every direction. She had seen other girls doing that and she had never understood the point. Now she understood. Every way she turned it caught light from a different direction. She wished that she'd had more time with Les before he'd had to leave but there was no way around it. She couldn't remember a time when she had been happier.


	13. Fighting to Gain Ground

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.**

**FYI: A certain writer's birthday is coming up this week. My family has yet to ask me what I want. None of them would be able to give me what I want anyway. What I want is some new Christian Bale wallpaper for my computer. I'll have to do that on my own I guess. Why am I telling all of you this? I'm hoping that some of you will be kind enough to send me your best Christian Bale wallpaper. It doesn't have to be from Newsies, although that would be nice.**

Piper was determined to keep up with her teaching at the boarding house even if she was only able to visit on the weekends. School had started that week and she was struggling to get back into her routine. After the summer she'd had she had become accustomed to certain things. Les would find a way to always be there when she woke up. The first morning after he had left had been hard, the days since hadn't been easier.

She knew what she was getting into when she had started dating Les. They had been apart for a good part of the first month that they were together and then had spent one tumultuous, magical summer together that she would never forget. She would carry on because she knew that Les was going through the same withdrawals that she was. They would find a way to make it even if it was the last thing either of them did.

On Saturday she found that only a five boys and Charlotte where waiting for her. She had expected more children, but she wasn't going to complain. The usual three boys were there along with a couple who had come to the boarding house since she had been there last. Emmanuel led the rag tag group of children when Piper announced that they were going on a field trip.

"Where are we going Miss Piper?" Emmanuel asked politely.

"We are going to The Sun headquarters. I know someone and they have offered to give you all a tour."

"We're going to see where the newspaper is written?" Gideon asked.

Gideon was a bright little boy for only being seven. Piper fell behind to take hold of his hand as they continued down the street.

"I thought that it would be nice to know where the papers that some of you sell come from," she said, looking down at the boy with an endearing smile.

David was waiting outside the building when six of them arrived. Piper told them to form a line before giving them a few rules.

"You're going to need to be quiet because some of the reporters are trying to get work done. And no wandering off, and please be polite and respectful," she warned as David led them through the rotunda of the building.

David first took them to the printing room where someone was running a press. The man kindly explained how the machine worked and asked if anyone wanted to push the pedal while he ran the paper through the machine. All of the boy's hands shot up all of them talking excitedly. Charlotte stood back, watching the boys forlornly. Piper put a hand on her shoulder gently.

"Wouldn't you like to try?"

"She can't try, she's a girl," One of the new boys, Asher said.

"She may do whatever she likes. Go on now," Piper said pushing her forward gently.

Piper stood behind the machine while the man loaded more paper in and pounded out more letters into the ink.

"She's ready whenever you are," he said encouragingly.

"How do you know that the machine is a girl?" Charlotte asked as she pumped the pedal steadily.

"Because it does whatever I ask it to do. Have you ever seen a boy do that?" he asked with a playful wink.

Piper hid a smile behind her hand when the boys groaned at the man's response. She watched David out of the corner of her eye and caught him watching her. The Jacobs had been surprised to find out about Les and Piper's engagement, but they had been supportive and happy. Skittery on the other hand was not surprised at all. Natalie had let it slip that Les had asked Skittery's permission before buying the ring.

David led them up a narrow stairwell and hall then they found themselves in the newsroom.

"Is this where you come up with all of your headlines Mister Jacobs?" Gideon asked.

"Yes, it is. I'll show you my desk," he said before leading the way through the rows.

The boys followed, looking around the room in wonder. David told Piper that she could feel free to take a look around for a few minutes while he worked with the kids. She went to stand by the bank of windows at the far end of the room while David let each of the kids take turns on his typewriter. Piper watched them perplexed. What could David have them doing? David pulled a manila envelope and placed some sheets of paper inside before writing something on it. He led the group back to Piper then handed her the envelope.

"You can't open it until later," Gideon explained.

Piper nodded as she walked. David was leading them to his editor's office. She hadn't seen Brian in years, not since Jack and Sarah's wedding. He greeted her with a warm smile before answering the kid's questions. Once they were finished Piper announced that it was time to leave.

"What do you say to Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Denton?" Piper prompted the children.

"Thank you," They all said exuberantly.

"You're all very welcome," Brian said with a nod.

"We can see ourselves out, we've taken up too much of your time David," Piper said as she gathered everyone together.

"It was no trouble."

"Come back and see us anytime you want. That goes for you too Piper, don't be a stranger," Brian called as they walked through the newsroom.

She dropped the kids off at the boarding house before hailing a taxi. She knew that Skittery and Natalie wouldn't mind if she showed up a little early for her shift. It would give her time to get talk to them for a little while before the dinner rush came in. She looked down at the envelope in her lap, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. It was later, so technically she could open it now. She pulled the prongs back then opened the flap, feeling the pages between her fingers. Her eyes misted up with tears as she read the paper on top. David had helped the boys and Charlotte write thank you letters to her.

Emmanuel's letter was first and it was so sincere that she had to wipe a tear from her eye. Gideon's letter was as sweet and honest as he was making her smile. Asher's letter was short but let her know that he would be willing to learn. She scanned the other boy's letters before finally coming to Charlotte's. Charlotte's letter filled almost the entire page. Piper had almost given up making progress with the girl. She was so grateful to finally have been able to reach the girl that she'd had to read the letter twice before she finally grasped what Charlotte had written.

The girl had a way with words that rivaled someone twice her age. Where had that come from? It boggled her mind that even though the child hadn't been in school in over year that she had absorbed enough of the knowledge to use it now. A child like Charlotte needed to be in school. There were very few ways of making that happen but Piper would research every option before making a final decision.

XXXX

Armorie hadn't expected for Sarah to talk her boss into hiring her at the seamstress shop where Sarah worked one day a week, but she was thankful. Like her, the shop keeper spoke broken English with an Italian accent. Maria Sandino saw a kindred spirit in Armorie. Once Armorie started working towards her green card she would be able to work more than two days a week that Maria had hired her for. Racetrack had told her that she needed to live there for at least five years before she could apply for one.

Armorie did her job and didn't ask questions. She came to work on time and worked hard for the five hours that she worked and was known for staying later without pay. She had been working there for three weeks when she saw Piper for the first time since the dinner at Skittery and Natalie's.

Piper draped an armload of garments onto the counter while Armorie looked for the receipt book.

"I didn't know that you worked here," Piper said to get her attention.

"For almost a month now," Armorie said, looking down at her hands.

"These coats need new buttons and they also need to be steam cleaned. The dress needs to be pressed and taken in; I've put the measurements in the front pocket. The shirts also have ring around the collar, I tried getting it out myself, but I only made it worse," she said with a bashful laugh.

"When would you need these?"

"I can come by Friday afternoon."

Armorie nodded as she wrote the order down in the book. She turned the book around so that Piper could sign it before tearing out Piper's copy. Piper waved politely before turning to leave. Armorie sorted the clothes, placing a tag on each garment noting what needed to be done to it. The coats were made for a small boy and the dress was made for a young girl and the shirts were obviously for a grown man. She shrugged the situation off before taking them to the back of the store. Marie worked on the dress while Armorie worked on the shirts.

"Piper, such a good girl," Maria murmured.

"You know her?"

"She collect clothes for orphans," she answered in broken English.

Armorie smiled, liking Piper even more. She had a feeling that they would get along fine once she broke out of her shell.

XXXX

Piper sorted through her mail as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. Les had written her, she smiled sentimentally as she unlocked her apartment. She set the mail excluding the letter on the kitchen table before running water in the bathtub. She would read the letter while she soaked. She lit candles, grabbed the bottle of wine from the refrigerator then finally grabbed a wine glass from the cabinet before heading back to the bathroom.

Even though she loved being on her own she loved her time with Les. He would sit on the window sill of her bed room window just outside the bathroom door and they would talk while she relaxed in the tub. They would talk about anything and everything, and sometimes they wouldn't talk at all.

She sank into the bathtub then poured a glass of wine before reaching for the letter that lay on the tray across the tub.

_Piper,_

_I've only been gone two weeks and I miss you already. Do you find that hard to believe? Do you miss me as well? How are you doing? Is it hard adjusting to your second year of teaching? I can't concentrate lately. Everything here reminds me of you. I fear that my marks for this semester will suffer because of it._

_I love you more than you can ever know,_

_Les_

It was short making her wonder why he had bothered to write at all. He hadn't had written her a letter since he had went to camp the summer he was fifteen. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she folded the letter and placed the letter back in its envelope. He was having a hard time adjusting to things; that she could see. She would write him back, telling him to never keep anything from her. It wouldn't do either of them any good to lie to each other.


	14. Paying It Forward

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. It belongs to Disney.**

After a lot of planning, soul searching, and researching Piper had come to a decision. It wasn't one that she could make on her own since it would also affect Les. It wasn't a decision to be taken lightly. She felt that she was up to the challenge and that everything would work out in the end. She hadn't told Les what she had decided and she was nervous about how he would react.

She waited for him at the train depot with bated breath. He had only been home once since starting school two months ago and his letters had tapered off after a few weeks. She hadn't talked to him on the phone in almost a week so she was lucky to have him home if only for the weekend of his birthday.

The train pulled into the station and Les was the first person off. He dropped his bags at Piper's feet before lifting her off the ground. She chuckled with a small smile. He pressed his forehead to hers and his eyes bore into hers taking her breath away. He kissed her lightly before placing on her on the ground. She stayed in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I have missed you so much," he murmured.

"I've missed you too."

"What have I missed? What's going on?"

"Natalie is starting to show and your mother has determined that she's having a boy. My students are starting to adjust and I think I'm really making a difference with them."

"That is important," he said with a nod.

"I've been spending every weekend at the boarding house. You can meet them this weekend if you want. You don't have to sit in on the lesson; Mush usually doesn't."

He nodded in agreement, noticing that there was something that she wasn't telling him. He would give her until Sunday to tell him and then he would confront her. He didn't want to ruin the weekend by arguing with her.

They were quiet as they waited for a carriage to take them to David and Emmaleigh's. The ride was short and Esther met them at the door. She hugged Les tightly while Piper shed her coat and put it on the rack. She saw Sarah and the girls out of the corner of her eye waiting for their turns to greet Les. She slipped out of the room quietly and made her way to the kitchen where Emmaleigh was preparing dinner. Natalie sat at the table with her head in her hands.

"She says that I can't help, she doesn't need it," Natalie said with a bored sigh.

"I'm only making soup. Even you can make that," Emmaleigh said, tossing Natalie a teasing wink.

"You shouldn't be on your feet all the time anyway. It's bad for your back," Piper said in concern.

"You sound like your brother," Natalie answered, scrunching her nose in irritation.

Sarah and Esther came in followed by Anna and Susan. The girls sat on either side of Natalie patting her stomach lightly and talking to the baby. Natalie lavished in the attention and the baby kicked, making the girls squeal with delight.

"Mommy, we want a baby brother," Anna said to Sarah.

"Well, if God sees it in him to bless us with a boy than you will, but for now I'm very happy with the two of you," Sarah said sentimentally.

"You should start trying again. Anna was two when you got pregnant with Susan," Esther said.

"Susan won't be two for another eight months Mom. I'm not in any rush, neither is Jack," Sarah said with a small smile.

The talk of babies was laid to rest while Emmaleigh finished dinner. Sarah called the men into the dinner and when dinner was through Esther went to the pantry. She came out with a cake already lit and everyone sang Happy Birthday to Les.

Les opened the few presents that were handed to him and soon Skittery, Natalie, Piper, Sarah and her family were ready to leave. Les stopped Piper just before she walked out the door behind Natalie and Skittery.

"What time do you want me to come over tomorrow?"

"I usually go over in the afternoon; most of them work in the morning. So come over around two."

"Is something wrong?"

"I just have a lot on my mind. You don't need to worry, if something were wrong I would tell you," she promised.

He nodded before brushing her hair over her shoulder. He kissed her lightly while Skittery tried to hail them a carriage. Piper pulled away, giving Les an encouraging smile before walking down the stairs to meet her brother and sister. She would talk to Esther before she made a final decision or talked to Les. Having her perspective would help since she had been through the process before.

XXXX

Les opened Piper's door instead of knocking, something very few people could get away with. Piper could be heard in her bedroom so Les went to the kitchen to get a glass of water once he had let her know that he was there. Piper came into the room smoothing her apron of her dress down. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling him to her as he finished his drink. She placed her head on his shoulder and he kissed her temple. It was simple and sweet and they were content to take in the quiet.

He pulled his arm from around her waist, taking her hand before pulling her out of the room. The walk to the boarding house was quiet and Emmanuel let them inside. The younger boys surrounded Piper, talking excitedly. She calmed them down before answering the questions one at a time.

She introduced them to Les and then the line of questioning turned to him. Did he miss his family when he was at college? Was there any way that he could be talked out of marrying Piper so that one of them could? Piper noticed that Charlotte held back, not sure what to make of the situation. After a ten minutes Mush broke them up and reminded them that Piper was there to teach them not be interrogated.

Les followed Mush into the kitchen and some of the older boys followed behind them. Piper was able to draw the kid's attention away from her and Les easily once they were upstairs. They breezed through lesson and she gave them their independent work to on. Charlotte worked independently while the boys worked in groups.

At the end of the hour she collected their work and gave them their assignments for the week. The boys scattered in different directions but Charlotte walked over to Piper. This was the first time that Charlotte had sought her out first.

"Can I help you Charlotte?"

"Mr. Myers told me that you lived here when you were younger."

"That's right, I was a little older than you," she admitted.

"You have a brother?"

"His name is Jason. He raised me until I was twelve."

"Then what happened?"

"Les' parents became my guardians."

"They adopted you?"

"No, they didn't feel that was the right decision."

"But you lived with them and you got to go to school?"

"Yes," Piper said with a polite smile.

Charlotte nodded in understanding and Piper knelt down to her level.

"Would you like to live with me?"

Charlotte's eyes widened before welling up with tears. Her bottom lip trembled and she caught it between her teeth to squelch the problem. Piper put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.

"You don't have to be scared."

"You would adopt me?"

"If you would like," Piper said politely.

Charlotte nodded quickly as she swiped at her eyes. Piper smiled gently before brushing the girl's hair behind her ear.

"It's going to be a little while before you can come home with me. There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of. Papers to file, meetings with child services but when the time comes I would love to have you live with me and Les."

"My parents weren't around a lot," she said in shame.

"My mother died when I was five and my father was an alcoholic who wasn't around either," Piper admitted.

Charlotte nodded sympathetically but could not meet Piper's eyes. Piper knew that she needed to tell Les, but she didn't know how to bring it up. She opened the door and called for him, being honest and upfront would be best. Les came to stand at the door and Piper took Charlotte's hand to lead her over to him. She knelt down to Charlotte's level once more, putting her other hand on Charlotte's shoulder.

"Charlotte, this is Les. You didn't have a chance to meet him downstairs. Les, this Charlotte, she wants me to adopt her. I want you to know that I haven't started the process yet, but I hope that I have your support."

"You're marrying him?" Charlotte asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes, I am," Piper said looking up at him with a smile.

Les looked between them taking in what Piper had said. He should have known that something like this would happen. He wasn't upset, just taken by surprise.

"Les, are you alright?" Piper asked, bringing him back to the present.

"I'm fine. If you think that this is what's best than I support the decision."

"I have something else to say," Charlotte said.

"Go ahead," Piper encouraged her.

"I won't let this happen unless you take Emmanuel in too," she said, her chin jutting out in determination.

"Let's work on you for right now. Maybe after everything settles we can talk Les into adding another," Piper said soothingly.

Charlotte looked up at Les, gauging his reaction to what had been said. He showed no trace of panic or worry. She nodded in agreement before Piper stood. There was a lot that needed to be done. It was going to be a while before Charlotte came to live with Piper but Piper couldn't wait. She couldn't wait to tell Esther what was going on, she was going to be so proud of Les and Piper for what they were doing.


	15. Trying to do the Right Thing isn't Easy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.**

After spending all afternoon at the courthouse Piper came home with her arms loaded down with paperwork to fill out and more pamphlets than she had ever seen in her life to look over. Since Charlotte had been abandoned by her family more than a year ago, she was considered a warden of the state even though she was not living in an orphanage. The woman at the courthouse had warned Piper that the proceedings could be dragged out for months and there would be a slew of people coming through her home to observe not only her but Les as well since they would eventually be married.

The inquiries about Emmanuel's family had been fruitless. Since not even he remembered his last name or his parent's names there was nothing that could be done without genealogical testing, which is something that Piper did not have the money for.

She was just starting to fill out the paperwork when someone softly rapped on her door. She set her pen on the table with a heavy sigh and slowly trudged to the door. Armorie had recently taken a second job at a laundry service and she now stood in the hall with Piper's laundry over hung over her outstretched arms.

Piper let her in then took the clothes from her to drape them over her bed. She walked back to the kitchen table to retrieve her coin purse. She pulled out two dollars and placed it into Armorie's palm.

"The bill is only for one dollar," Armorie said quietly.

"The other dollar is for you. It's to say thank you for bringing them. I had completely forgotten to pick them up on Friday."

Once she thought back she had also forgotten to pick up the garments from the seamstress shop as well.

"Do you know if the seamstress shop is still open?" she asked with wide eyes.

"It closes at three on Monday's. Why?"

"I forgot to pick up the things that I dropped off last week."

"Mr. Myers came by on Saturday to get them," she said with a shy smile.

"Oh, thank goodness. I've been so busy the past few days that I have been forgetting things left and right," she said with a sigh of relief.

"It's quiet alright Misses Miller," Armorie reassured her.

"Only my students call me that, which reminds me, I need to grade their spelling tests. The paperwork that I need to sort out will have to wait. Thank you again for bringing my things by," she said appreciatively.

"You're welcome," Armorie said with a curt nod.

Armorie saw herself out and Piper cleared the table of the adoption files. She was going to be up all night because the papers were supposed to go back to her students the next day. She had put off grading them all weekend and now she was paying for it.

XXXX

Charlotte was brushing her wet hair at the full length mirror when the first of the boys started coming in to begin their morning rituals. They ignored her as she gathered her dirty laundry and towel take them downstairs. She could hear more boys getting up as she headed downstairs with the last basket of laundry for the laundry service woman who would come by that morning to pick up.

Mush had given her the job of gathering the laundry not long after she had moved in. Since Mush wouldn't take her money he had told her that she could do odd jobs around the boarding house. She didn't enjoy doing it, but she wasn't going to complain. She had never been one to complain when something happened that she didn't like.

She set the laundry by the door before going to the kitchen to set the table for the boys who ate breakfast before leaving. Mush stood at the stove with his back to her once she finished. The boys filed in and took their places at the table while Mush finished preparing breakfast.

Since most of the boys had already left she would be able to go back upstairs and finish getting ready. She had enough time to pull her dress over her head before the door opened. Emmanuel came in with his hands in his pockets, his head cast down, shuffling his feet nervously.

"Mister Myers wanted me to tell you that your breakfast is getting cold," he mumbled.

"Thanks," she said as she laced up her boots.

He darted from the room without another word. She didn't know why he acted the way he did but it did raise some concerns. He seemed liked such a sweet natured, shy boy and yet she knew that he could take care of himself if any of the boys messed with him. Mush had taken the boy under his wing since he saw a lot of himself in Emmanuel. She knew asking Piper and Les to adopt him was the right thing to do. He deserved a chance at a better life more than she did.

XXXX

The bell above the door dinged and Armorie raised her head to see the customer placing their umbrella in the barrel by the door. They had their back turned to her but she could guess who the person was. Mush had been into the shop three times in the past five days. She held back a smile as she made her way to the counter to assist him.

He stood at the counter fingering the display of shoelaces intently after he had asked her if the order for fabric he had placed the day before was ready. She checked, even though she knew that it hadn't come in yet. She had told him yesterday that it wouldn't be in until that weekend.

"It hasn't come in yet, I'm sorry," she said empathetically.

"That's alright. I was on this side of town so I thought that I would check," he said with a shrug.

She nodded in understanding watching him fidget with a pair shoelaces.

"Do you want me to ring those up for you?" she asked.

"No," he said with a nervous laugh before placing them with the others.

He placed his hands on the counter and Armorie watched him expectantly. What he lacked in assertiveness he made up for in sweetness. She wasn't blind and she wasn't a fool. Her mother and her cousins had told her all about how to pick up signals from boys so that she would be able to tell if they liked her or not. She wished that she could be more like Piper and Natalie and make the first move but she hadn't been raised that way.

"I'm going to be closing the shop in a few minutes," she said to break the silence.

"Do you want me to go?"

"Tony should be here soon; he usually walks me back to the hotel. You're more than welcome to have dinner with us if you'd like," she said politely.

"I have to get back to the boarding house. Maybe next time," he said with a small smile.

He left before she could respond. He talked with Racetrack who had shown up as he walked out the door. Armorie gathered her things and locked up the shop. Mush tossed a friendly wave over his shoulder before walking away as she took shelter under Race's umbrella.

"How was your day?" Race asked casually.

"Fine, how was yours?"

"Busy. Does he come in often?"

"He was checking on an order that he had placed."

Race accepted her answer with a nod as they walked the few blocks to the hotel arm in arm. Pretty soon she was going to have to tell Race the truth. She had felt something for Mush the moment she had laid eyes on him at Skittery and Natalie's.

XXXX

Natalie sat by the window trying to on the crochet blanket that she had started a month ago. She wasn't getting anywhere with it and she was on the verge of throwing it in the trash because she had lost her patience in it. Skittery sat across the room at the dinner table going over the books for the bar because Les hadn't had time to do it before he left that weekend. He looked just as stressed as she did.

"Remind me again why you waited until the last minute to ask Les to look over those," she said as she set the blanket down.

"You were sick so I stayed home to take care of you," he murmured.

"Sorry about that, I won't goad you anymore."

"Thank you," he said with a sigh.

She stood behind him, draping her arms over his shoulders. Her protruding stomach kept her from leaning over to kiss him so he took her hands in his, squeezing gently. She was incapable of standing for longer than five minutes at a time once her ankles had swollen. Her belly was expanding by the day and now that she had finally stopped throwing up she wasn't as tired as she had been a few weeks ago.

With only two months to go she felt that everything was starting to sink in. She was going to be in charge of another living creature. She would be in charge of teaching them right from wrong, making sure that they used proper manners and that they grew up to do great things. It was mind boggling when she thought about it. She wouldn't feel worthy of such importance if Skittery weren't going to be with her.

"Have you decided what color you want the baby's room to be? I need to know so that I can make sure that we have enough money for the paint that we'll need."

"Some days I want it to be green, others eggshell and then others I think I want it to have a circus theme and we should paint a mural on one of the walls."

"I like the mural idea, but not the circus idea," he said with a nervous laugh.

"Clowns still scare you huh?" she teased.

"Yes, they do," he said flatly.

"What would you suggest then?"

"Maybe we could paint animals, like horses, birds and giraffes…it's just an idea."

"That's a good idea. Let's go with that," she agreed.

He promised that he would place the order for the paint that night before going back to what he was doing. She sighed in contentment before pulling away from him. If he planned on going in to work that night than she would need to get dinner started. For right now, they were living on pot roast and chicken potpie. Sarah had been able to teach her a few simple recipes and promised to give her a proper cooking lesson once the baby was born.

XXXX

Les was roused from a fitful by his suitemate who had class in the ungodly hour of seven. The guy insisted on making as much noise as possible. Les was one rude awakening away from breaking bad on the guy. He had spent the night tossing and turning, wondering what Piper was doing. She was all that he could think about since coming back to school almost a month ago. He didn't know how he was going to make it through the next two years.

He threw his legs over the side of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees. He dug his palms into his eyes, praying that he would make it through his classes without falling asleep. He made his way to the communal bathroom to take a shower glad to have some peace and quiet at the early hour.

By the time he got back to his room his roommate was getting ready to leave for class. He waved him off when the guy gave an apologetic look. The guy tried to be accommodating, Les had to give him credit for that, but he then he would repeat the cycle the next morning make Les wonder if his apologies really meant anything.

The dining hall was practically empty and he was able to get through the meal line with ease. He sat by himself, enjoying the quiet. He treasured moments like this, when he was allowed to be himself and no one bothered him. He had friends but none of them had girlfriends. He even went out with them sometimes; but not always. Sometimes he needed to decompress and they understood that.

Most people his age didn't have the problems he had. Piper was the only person who understood what he was going through. He needed to make more of an effort to be home for the weekend more often. Piper had dropped a bomb on him the last time he was home. His mom and Sarah had been bringing up the fact that they should get married before he finished school which was a bad idea. He would never want to leave her if they were married. He would have to do some serious damage control when he came home.


	16. Leap of Faith

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies, they belong to Disney.

AN: I cannot believe that it has been over two months since I updated this. I'd like to say that it's my New Year's resolution to update more, but I probably wouldn't be able to keep it. My resolutions never last past March before I give up and I don't want this story to be left alone. So I am going to promise to try to be more diligent in my updating.

Fall had crept up silently on New York. An Indian Summer had given them an extra month of summer weather before leaving the city in a whirlwind of rapidly falling leaves and winds so fierce that men were chasing after their wives parasols and children's hats everywhere you looked. Scarves, gloves and winter coats were brought out by the first of November. With less than a week to go before Thanksgiving Piper was looking forwards to the holidays. The kids in her class were already counting down the days until their month long vacation from school.

She was less than three days away from seeing Les. The last three months had been hard on him and she was going to do everything she could to bolster his spirits while he was home. She had only a week before the holiday break started.

Her focus was pulled back to the present when the bell rang signaling the end of recess. The classroom was filled with giggling and the stomping of boots as the kids drifted into the room in groups of three and four. Piper wrote on the board while they hung up the coats and made their way back to their seats.

"I have a special assignment for all of you this week. I want all of you to write an essay about what Christmas means to you. It should be no less than one hundred words and it is due on Thursday," she explained.

Some of the children groaned while others started working on their daily writing and reading. She got the class to settle down by clapping her hands over the noise. They settled down and got to work before she sat down at her desk to make up a list of supplies she would need for the class party on Friday. With the classroom quiet again she could focus on the multitasking challenge of thinking of Les and keeping watch over her class.

XXXX

The train hadn't come to a complete stop before Les stood and made his way down the aisle. He held his bag close to him and got dirty looks from the people that he pushed past and brushed aside. No one said anything considering Les' size. His eyes scanned the crowd as soon as his feet hit the platform. He spotted a pair of blue eyes that were similar to his mother's making him groan in frustration. Why was David there to meet him?

David gave him an admonishing look as he made his way through the crowd. Les scowled as he pulled his bag onto his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's good to see you too Princess," David admonished.

"Where's Piper?"

"I'm fine, how are you?" David asked as they made their way to the luggage cart.

"Do not mess with me, I've had a really long day and I just want to go home and go to sleep."

"Then you don't need to see Piper. This is yours isn't it?" he asked picking up a trunk by one end.

Les picked up the other end without saying a word. His face was still twisted into a scowl when they got into David's car.

"Come on, cheer up Buttercup. It's not like you won't be able to see her while you're home," David reasoned.

"Can you drop me off at her apartment?"

"I don't think so. I am under strict orders to bring you home with me. Mom misses her baby boy, yes she does," he teased in a baby talk, pinching Les' cheek for emphasis.

Les jerked away from him, growling in impatience before giving him a dark look. David chuckled with a shake of his head as he steered the car towards home. It was his first time home in over a month. He should have known that his mom would miss him.

XXXX

Piper was cleaning up after her class Christmas party when someone knocked on her door lightly. She looked up to see Les leaning against the door jamb with his arms folded over his chest. He had lost a little weight and there were dark circles under his eyes and had a few days' worth of stubble on his face but other than that he looked like the same Les that she had fallen in love with that summer.

She crossed the room and outstretched a hand to him when she stopped a few feet away. He shook his head before tilting his head to look at the door frame. There was a sprig of mistletoe hanging right over his head. She grinned before closing the space between them. She cupped his neck before leaning up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. He wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her when she pulled away after a few seconds.

"You look like you've been sick recently," she observed, taking in his pale coloring.

"I had the flu last weekend. This is the first time my mom has let me out of her sight since I got home on Wednesday."

"You poor baby," she said, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Are you almost done?"

"I need to take down the Christmas tree and put everything in storage then put the trash down the chute."

"You take down the tree and I'll get rid of the trash."

They worked in silence for twenty minutes before taking the decorations in the attic before leaving. Piper planned to use the tree in her apartment so that she wouldn't have to buy one.

"Isn't it a little early to get a tree?"

"I don't have the money for one this year. So as long as I keep it watered I think it should be okay."

"I'll buy you a tree," he offered.

"But I like this one," she reasoned.

He nodded as he set the tree in the corner of the living room. Piper stood back inspecting the placement. She shook her head before pointing in between the windows. Les moved the tree where she wanted it and she stared scrutinizing the tree once more.

"I think it was better where you had it before," she said, her eyebrows knitted together in concern.

Les shook his head with a smile as he moved the tree back to its original place. Piper went to her room and pulled down the decorations that Esther had given her the year before as a house warming present from her closet before grabbing the tree lights that she had purchased the previous weekend. She and Les carried the boxes back into the living room and focused on the task at hand.

"So how does it feel to decorate your very own Christmas tree for the first time?"

"It's nice. I'm thinking of getting a small tree for the table by the door when it's closer to Christmas," she stated before looking up at him for approval.

He nodded with a small smile. He would do whatever she wanted because he knew how important Christmas was to her. Her mother had died during the week between Christmas and New Year's. It had been a hard time for her as a child but as she had gotten older she had learned to accept it and enjoy the holidays.

XXXX

Sarah moved around the apartment above the bar in a blur. She should have come over earlier to set up but Jack had been late getting home from the late shift. Piper would be bringing Natalie by in less than half an hour. Esther and Emmaleigh had taken over the kitchen downstairs and were starting to set the food up in the front room.

Piper had been offered the apartment after Blink had moved out three years ago but had turned it down so that she could save money while she was in college. Race and Armorie were thinking of moving in once they had enough money for the first and last month's rent. Skittery was going to give them a low rent since Race also worked at the bar.

Sarah heard her mom in the front room and a few seconds later Piper's voice drifted through the apartment. Piper came to stand at the door to the spare room, watching Sarah move around at the speed of light.

"Aren't you afraid that you'll make yourself sick?" Piper asked to get her attention.

Sarah stopped, lurching forward a few inches before catching herself.

"I need to finish this," she said breathless.

"Emmaleigh has Nat downstairs. She can keep her down there for a little while longer. What else needs to be done?"

"The table needs to be set. I brought some plates and cutlery up from downstairs."

"I'll get it done," Piper said with a nod before walking out of the room.

Ten minutes later Emmaleigh led Natalie into the apartment. She pulled her hand from over her eyes and they welled up with tears at the sight in front of her. She swiped at her eyes quickly as Sarah and Esther led her to a chair in the center of the room. Natalie's younger sister and cousin sat on either side of her holding her hands.

Esther mentioned that they should get something to eat so that everyone else could have a chance to come in. Piper sat off to the side taking in her sister in law and her family that she didn't get a chance to see but only once a year. Her mother hadn't been able to come because Natalie's grandmother was sick and she was staying with her until she got well.

Natalie placed a hand on her stomach feeling the baby kick with abandon. This kid was either going to be a football player or a ballerina, she would be happy with either one. She reveled in every change that had happened to her body in the past seven months. She had been surprised when she had felt the baby move at four months. Now they were a lot more active and at times it was painful but she wouldn't change it for anything in the world. She was looking forward to going through this with her sister and Piper when the time came.

After lunch everyone formed a circle around Natalie and each person took a turn to give her their gift. The booties and hat that Sarah had knitted could be for a boy or girl and the sailors outfit and pink flowered dress from Esther were adorable but what Natalie loved the most was the blanket that Piper had given her. It had been Skittery and then Piper's. Piper had slept with it the whole time they were with the Newsies and Esther had mended it when she had seen how tattered it was. Piper had held onto it for so that she could pass it on to her niece or nephew.

Natalie ran her fingers over the white felt then the silk lining with a smile.

"That is a beautiful blanket," Her cousin Maxine commented.

"It's hard to believe it's almost thirty years old," Sarah added.

"I'm sure Jason will be happy to know that Piper kept it all of these years," Her sister Caroline said.

Natalie nodded, speechless at the thoughtful gift.

The guest left two hours later when Skittery showed up to start his shift. Sarah shooed Piper out the door when Les showed up to get her while she was in the middle of scrubbing down the kitchen counters.

He took his hand in hers and silently led her down the stairs and out the door before Skittery could call for either of them. Piper had gone to the adoption agency that morning and from the way she looked Les could tell that she hadn't received good news. They stopped at a trolley stop and sat on a bench away from everyone else.

"Do you want to tell me what happened this morning?" he broached.

"There's a chance that I might not be able to adopt Charlotte," she said sadly.

"How much of a chance is there?"

"They won't let her live with me because I don't make enough money to support a child and also I am not married."

"What if you were married?"

"I still wouldn't have enough income to raise her."

"You would if I sent you all the money that I made."

"I thought that we were going to wait until you graduated next year to get married."

"You weren't planning on adopting then," he said logically.

"We can't get married now. You barely made it through your first semester back at school; think of how much more unbearable it would be if we were married."

"You could find a job in Albany."

"Not until the new school year starts," she countered.

"Then I'll take off the rest of the year. I'll work for Skittery and get my job back at Tibby's. We'll save up our money."

"You would do that for me?" she asked in wonder.

"I would do anything for you," he said squeezing her hand.

"Do you promise me that you'll go back to school next year?"

"I swear to you that I'll go back to school next year," he said making a cross with his fingers over his heart.

Piper nodded her head quickly, not able to process that she was agreeing to marry him sooner rather than later. He was giving up so much for her and yet he hadn't asked for anything in return. What were there families going to think?


	17. And Babies Make Four

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies but I do own the OC's mentioned in this chapter.**

The new year passed and so did Natalie's due date. She marked off everyday that the baby didn't come on the calender that hung on the back of their bedroom door. She was up to fourteen x's so far. Two full weeks had come and gone and she and Skittery were beyond worried.

At her last doctor visit he told her that no baby came when their parents wanted them to, it would come when they least expected it. That had been three days ago. Maybe her doctor was right, she needed to stop worrying and put her focus on something else. But what? She was in no condition to celebrate Valentine's Day, which was tomorrow. Luckily, Skittery wasn't the type to make a huge deal out of it. He'd probably buy her some flowers and cook dinner for her like he had done last year. That was enough for her.

"Babe, you okay?" Skittery asked from the door.

"I just realized that tomorrow is Valentine's Day."

"I know," Skittery said with a nod.

"Can you believe we've only been married a year and yet we're already expanding our family?" she asked with a small laugh.

"I know it's not what we wanted but we can make it work," he reassured her.

She smiled then nodded in agreement. She had gotten used to the fact that Skittery wasn't much of a talker and that expressing his feelings made him so nervous that he broke out in hives. She loved him anyway and knew how to work around his weird quirks.

XXXX

After two months of savng Piper and Les finally had enough money to move forward with the adoption process. Esther had given them the name of a lawyer who could help them. They had a meetting with the lawyer in a few days and they were both nervous about the outcome.

Piper came into their apartment to find the apartment filled with flowers. She turned in a slow circle taking everything in. The kitchen table had so many vases of flowers that she couldn't see the top of the table and the side table by the couch had three vases, there was a trail of petals leading from the front doo to their bedroom.

Piper followed the trail but still didn't find Les.

"Hon?" she called in confusion.

She heard footsteps behind her and then a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Les swept her hair to the side to kiss the back of her neck. She sighed contently then turned her head to capture his lips. A low moan caught in his throat then she pulled away. She turned in his arms and clasped her hands behind his neck. He leaned down to claim her lips in one smooth movement. She got swept into the kiss with the scent of roses hitting her nose. This was a wonderful way to be welcomed home.

She pulled away regretfully after a minute. She watched him curiously. He returned her look with one of his own.

"What are you up to?" she questioned.

"Can't a guy shower his wife with love without wanting something in return?" he asked innnocently.

"You're answering me with a question, now I know something is going on," she answered skeptically.

He rolled his eyes with a sigh before pulling away from her. He crossed the aparment to the window and opened it. Emmanuel came in from the fire escape and Piper turned her eyes back to Les in confusion.

"He hasn't been to the boarding house in almost a week," Les explained.

"Why?"

"I got roughed up by another newsie, I didn't want Mr. Meyers to find out. He can't afford to take me to the doctor," Emmanuel explained.

"Come here," Piper said with an outstretched hand.

The bruise surrounding his right eye was starting to turn yellow but the cut on his cheek and busted lip needed attention. He lifted his shirt and Piper's hands flew to her mouth. His sides were almost littered with blue and purple bruises. There was no doubt that he had sustained injuries to his ribs.

"Where did you find him?"

"He was sitting on the stoop when I got here."

"Emmanuel, who did this to you?"

"Mortin," he said quietly.

"Do you know his last name?"

"Delancey."

"It couldn't be," Les said in disbelief.

"Jason said that they had an older brother. How old is Mortin, Emmanuel?"

"Fourteen, I think."

"It's a possibility that it's Oscar and Morris' nephew. We need to get him to a doctor."

"You call the doctor and get him here, I'll go see Mush and tell him what's going on," Les said before crossing to the door.

He quickly toed his boots on and threw on his jacket. Piper looked at Emmanuel who was giving her a desperate look. She ran a hand through his hair reassuringly before walking into the hall. She called the doctor and he said that he would be there within the hour.

At the boarding hour Les explained everything to a concerned Mush and distraught Olivia. Les hadn't wanted to tell Olivia what had happened but the girl had refused to leave them alone.

"How much older is this kids dad than Oscar and Morris?"

"He's got to be a good six or seven years older than Morris and eight or nine years older than Oscar. I don't know much about him. He was a newsboy when Blink and Crutchy first started," Mush said appologetically.

"What are we going to do about it?"

"We should wait until we find out how badly he's injured. Then we'll take things from there. The last thing we need is for you to get revenge; so keep your nose clean, unless you like living off of ten cents a day," Les warned her.

She nodded getting his double edged meaning. If she retaleated it would effect badly on the adoption. That was the last thing she wanted.

XXXX

It had been a long day and all Skittery wanted to do was go home and celebrate the day with Natalie. He could tell that something wasn't right the moment he opened the door to their apartment.

"Nat?" he called with trepidation.

Silence answered him and he was across the room to their bedroom in four strides. The room was empty as was the bathroom. It felt like he was treading water as he walked to the kitchen. It too was empty and he turned back to the living room when he heard a noise behind him. A low moan came from the other side of the table. He came around the head of the table to see Natalie on the floor clutching her stomach.

"It's time," she said in anguish.

"What are you doing on the floor?" he asked in desperation.

"I was chekcing to see if the base board needs to be cleaned. Yep, it does," she said once a contraction ran it's course.

"Smart ass. How long has this been going on?"

"Since noon. My water broke half an hour ago, I was going to call you but I caught my foot on one of the chairs and I've been here ever since."

"You waited until five thrity before you decided to call me?" he asked sternly.

"I didn't know that my water was going to break! Don't start-" she stopped with a groan while clutching her stomach.

Skittery watched in concern. From the way things looked the baby would be delivered before the doctor got there. He would need to call the doctor so that he could examine the baby and Natalie but they needed someone there during the delivery. His mind raced thinking over the few options they had. He could call Esther or Sarah. There was a midwife and nurse that lived somewhere in the building. He could ask around, but first he needed to move Natalie to their room. Once there she held his hand in a vice like grip.

"I'll be right back. I need to find help and I need to call the doctor."

"Hurry," she said when another contraction siezed her.

He went down the hall knocking on every door until someone answered on the third try. It was a woman Esther's age with three young children. She knew where the midwife lived and told him to go back to Natalie.

"Find as many towels as you can find and fill a basin with water. Take off your belt, your wife can bear down on it."

"You mean you want her to put my belt in her mouth?" he asked scared.

"Do you have any better ideas?"

"Jason!" Natalie yelled in agony.

He ran back to the apartment pulling his belt from its loops and instructing her to bite down on it while he gathered the things they would need. Natalie whined in pain and it broke Skittery's heart to see the tears streaking down her face.

An elderly woman came to stand at their bedroom door and surmised the situation. She held a leather satchel with both hands cleared her throat to get their attention.

"I'm Caroline, I was told that their were first time parents in need of assistance," she said politely.

"What do we do?" Skittery asked scared.

"The best thing you can do is stay calm. If you're calm she will be as well. What are your names?"

"Skittery and Natalie."

"Skittery?" Caroline asked with raised, amused eye brows.

"Jason," Skittery answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well Skittery, it's not customary for the father to be in the room, why don't you wait in the other room?"

Skittery's eyes flashed to Natalie who mouthed the word go. He walked out of the room as another woman rushed in wearing a nurse's uniform. He pointed behind him then went to the hall to start calling everyone to let them know. He tried to drown out the sound of Natalie's screams but they would forever be embetted in his brain.

After half an hour things died down and the nurse came out giving him a small smile as she left.

"You can come in now Mr. Miller," Caroline called.

He was on his feet and standing just outside the bedroom in less than ten seconds.

"Don't be shy, come meet the newest members of your family," Caroline encouraged with a chuckle.

Skittery took the last few steps with trepidation. Natalie cradled a blanket wrapped bundle in each arm. Her wild, tear brimmed eyes met his with an exhausted but genuine smile.

"Surpise," she laughed.

"You are now the father of twins; a boy and a girl," Caroline announced.

"Oh boy," the doctor said under his breath from behind Skittery.

"Now that my job is done I'll leave the two of you alone to get aquainted with your little ones."

Caroline placed a gentle hand on Skittery's arm as she passed him before seeing herself out.

"While I check over these two and Natalie I have some forms for you to fill out. Sorry it took me so long, I was in the middle of surgery; I came as soon as my secretary gave me the message," the doctor explained.

Skittery filled out the birth certificates with a shaky hand but he was able to keep his nerves in check. The babies cried and cooed as the doctor check them over and Skittery stole a look at the one that Natalie was holding.

"I can finish that. You should see her," she said gesturing with her eyes to the baby.

He sat the papers on the bed and cradled his arms to recieve the baby.

"Hey Genny," he said as his eyes met his daughters.

"Genny? We never talked about that," Natalie said with a laugh.

"You don't like it?"

"I do," she agreed.

"She looks just like you."

"Ethan has your nose and mouth. Unfortunately he has a full head of dark hair," she said with remorse

"That's okay," he said as Genevieve took hold of his pinkie.

Ethan cried in protest when the doctor placed the stephoscope on his chest. The doctor breathed on it once more then placed it back on the baby's chest.

The doctor left half an hour later once he made an appointment to see the twins at the end of the week. Skittery and Natalie were left in the blissful aftermath of the past two hours. Everyone would be there tomorrow but they had the night to themselves to welecome the babies to the world on their own.


	18. A New Begining

**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.**

_One Year Later_

After a long winter, a stress filled spring and a very hectic summer, fall and holiday season it was time to celebrate the twins first birthday. Piper had been so wrapped up in other things that Valentine's Day had crept up on her. She doubted that she would be able to make it home since both Olivia and Emmanuel were both in school and adjusting nicely. Olivia had started the sixth grade that fall while Emmanuel had barely been ready for the eighth grade. After several months of burning the midnight oil Piper felt that he had finaly caught up with the rest of his class. Les spent alot of his time at school or the library so that he could study without interuption. The only time that Piper had with him was on the weekends.

Piper hadn't been prepared for all that she would be giving up when they moved to Syracuse. There hadn't been a single opening at the school that the kids went to so she spent her days cleaning, knitting and waiting for the kids and Les to get home.

To make things worse she had been feeling under the weather for the past several days and Les had finally convinced her to go to the doctor. She had an appointment the morning of Valentine's Day and she was rushing to get both teenagers off to school. She shifted nervously in her seat as she waited for her name to be called. After waiting nearly an hour she was led back to the examination room.

The nurse was pleasant as she engaged Piper in conversation but all Piper wanted was to find out what was wrong with her and get out of there. The doctor came in after a few minutes and asked her a few questions about her health. He wanted to run some tests before giving her a diagnosis.

Piper waited for nearly an hour in the doctors private office after her last test had been done. He sat across from her writing something in a file.

"I'm going to recomend you to a woman's doctor. They have an opening tomorrow morning and one in the afternoon," he explained.

"What time in the morning and afternoon?" she questioned in concern.

"Nine and noon."

"I'll take the noon appointment. Nine is too early."

"I'll make sure that they know you're coming. In the meantime, I'm writing you a prescription," he explained holding a piece of paper out to her.

It was a prescription for prenatal vitamins. Her eyes met his quickly and he smiled warmly at her.

"Congratulations Ms. Jacobs; you're going to be a mother," he said, still smiling.

Piper exhaled nervously before coughing. She nodded her thanks while gathering her things. She left the doctor's office in a daze. She and Les weren't ready to take care of a baby. They had planned to wait to have kids until Olivia and Emmanuel were gone so that they could devote their time and attention to Olivia and Emmanuel.

Olivia and Emmanuel came home for lunch but it barely regestired to Piper. She was still in a fog when Les came home that night. It was the first night in weeks that he hadn't gone to the library and he planned on sending the kids out for dinner to the restaurant across the street. He knew something wasn't right as soon as he got home.

Piper was in their room while the kids did their homework at the kitchen table. Les helped them before going to check on her. She sat on the edge of the bed with her hands clasped in her lap with her head bowed.

"Piper, what's going on?" he asked, making his presence known.

"Sit down," she said with a sigh.

"Did something happen at the doctor's?"

"Mmhmm," she said with a nod.

"Well then out with it, come on," he pleaded.

"I'm gonna have a baby," she said with a nervous chuckle, her scared eyes meeting his.

"Jesus, I thought you were gonna tell me that you're dying. Don't do that!" he admonished.

A bubble of laughter leaped from her throat and she fell against him. He wrapped his arms around her as Olivia and Emmanuel watched from the door. Things were rapidly changing, so fast that it was hard to keep up sometimes. A baby was just the thing to slow everything down and make them focus on something other than themselves.

XXXX

Skittery and Natalie had decided to celebrate the twins birthday by themselves. The twins weren't old enough to remember anything that happened so they thought that something small and low key would be better.

Natalie had taken to motherhood easily while it had taken Skittery nearly a month to learn the babies routine. They hadn't started sleeping through the night until two months ago. For the first ten months it had been like clock work; John would wake up and either Skittery or Natalie would get him settled down and as soon as they had drifted off Genevieve would wake up and the other would take care of her. They had been lucky to get two hours of sleep each night. Skittery was glad that it was all behind them.

Esther, Sarah, and Emmaleigh had come by with presents and a cake that Skittery and Natalie could give to the twins. It had been a very laid back day for all of them. There was a light knock on the door after dinner and Natalie went to answer it while Skittery got the babies ready for bed. He was coming out of the bedroom when Natalie came back in the apartment.

"Piper's on the phone for you," she announced.

He walked down the main hall and cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear before acknowledging her.

"Pippa?"

"Hey big brother," she said endearingly.

"You couldn't have Nat wish the twins happy birthday for you?" he asked teasingly.

"I did, but I have something that I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"You're going to be an uncle, I found out this morning."

"Really?" he asked quickly.

"Yeah. I go back tormorrow to find out when I'm due but I had some test done this morning. Are you suprised?"

"Uh, yeah," he said with a laugh.

"Tell Nat for me?"

"Sure."

"We'll come down this weekend," she promised.

They talked for a few minutes before he walked back into the apartment with a shocked, bemused, dazed expression.

"What's with you?" Natalie asked creduously.

"Piper's gonna have a baby," he said in disbelief.

Natalie made a noise of happiness before clapping her hands excitedly. She had hoped that Piper would have a baby but she hadn't planned on it happening so soon. The baby would come before their second anniversary came around, like it had happened for her and Skittery. She was happy for Piper and Les, even if Skittery was scared for his sister.

XXXX

If Mush had looked back over the last year he wouldn't believe it if he hadn't lived it. The lodging house was doing well and the boys who lived there had the option of taking the classes that Sarah had taken over when Piper left. His relationship with Armourie had been a whirlwind romance. They had started dating at the begining of last year and by July they were married. They hadn't talked about having children yet but they were so busy that they barely had any time for themselves.

Sarah had been a saint. She had found out that she was pregnant a month before Piper left and she had taught the boys up until the day she gave birth to Jack Junior a few weeks ago. She had found a retired teacher through Piper who was willing to fill in for her for a few more weeks.

Mortin Delancey had been arrested for getting into a bar room brawl on New Years Day and people had come forward about all the wrongs he had done and he was setenced to the Refuge until he turned twenty-one in three years.

Everyone had grown older and changed their ways of thinking. They were all tested and proved that they were stronger than they thought. Everyone needed reassurance sometimes. It all came down to who you choose to love and the people that you let in. They were the people who would never let you down.

**AN: I am so sorry that it took me so long to finish this story. I honestly didn't plan on it taking me two years to write it. I never thought that I would finish it at times because I walked away from it twice because of personal issues. Thank you for being so patient and I hope all of you have enjoyed reading this. God bless.**


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